


Rising From the Ashes

by EATaDANGleaf, Phoenixeve



Series: The Phoenix [1]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: F/F, F/M, Feel free to ignore this, M/M, this is more for myself and my friends to read than anything tbh
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-20
Updated: 2017-07-11
Packaged: 2018-04-27 05:42:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 22
Words: 23,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5036044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EATaDANGleaf/pseuds/EATaDANGleaf, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Phoenixeve/pseuds/Phoenixeve
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Avengers, but not like you've seen it before. There is a new hero among the old favorites...</p><p>This is the first of the "The Phoenix" series.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've heard stories about authors sueing people who wrote fanfics, so just to be safe I'm going to get this out of the way now: I don't own Marvel or any of its characters, movies, etc.

Nick Fury loved his job, and hated it. He loved being able to do good in the world, to stop the bad before it started. On the other hand, he detested having to deal with agents coming to him all day for their petty problems.

     Like the young, curly haired agent who stood in his office now, stuttering, "Director Fury- Sir- they sent me up to- to tell you-"

"Spit it out or get out of my office," The look that Fury gave the agent was vaguely threatening, which wasn't hard for him to achieve, what with his eyepatch, strong build, and permanent scowl. The agent stood up straight and cleared his throat.

"My supervising officer sent me to tell you that we've found something. I think you're gonna want to see this," he left the room, and Nick followed reluctantly. The agent led Fury to a small office about three floors down. A short, bald man with a solomn face sat at a desk with a name plate that read "Albert Kingston", looking through some files. The man looked up as the younger agent entered, followed closely by Fury.

"Ah, Director Fury, I'm glad you're here," he turned to look at the younger agent, "Thank you Agent Jordan. You're dismissed." Jordan nodded and exited the room.

"Director Fury, we've found something that may be of interest to you. There's a girl that's been missing for over a month, abducted from her home in Ohio," at this the man set down the files he had been digging through previously. The photo on top showed a girl of about fifteen or sixteen. She had blondish brown hair, full lips, and braces.

"Her name is Madeline Gartin," Kingston stated, as if Fury couldn't read that for himself, "We think we may have found her. She's being kept in some kind of warehouse. I'm sending out a rescue team right now to retrieve her."

"Why am I down here exactly? Could you not have handled it yourself?" Nick asked, exasperated.

"The thing is, we think they may have done something to her. We're not quite sure what that something is yet, but it can't be good."

"Who are 'they' exactly?"

"We don't know that either."

"Is there anything you _do_ know?"

Kingston's face hardened, "I know where she is, and I know that I'm going to get her out."


	2. Fire

     Darkness. That's all there was at this time of night. It was the same every day:

06:00- Wake up  
06:00 to 12:00- Training  
12:00 to 13:00- Get nutrients through a tube in the nose and patch up training wounds  
13:00 to 22:00- More training  
22:00- Sleep

     Right then it was impossible to tell the time because there were no clocks or even windows in the little room (if you could even call it that. It was more like a concrete box.) The girl knew it was late, though. She could have a light if she wanted, but the cameras would see her and if they knew she was awake at this time of night...

     She shuddered, though whether it was from cold or fear, she did not know. Suddenly, there were noises outside. Not the usual footsteps that came down the hall during the night sometimes. It was louder. More intense. Gunfire. Feet ran toward the room and the girl shot down into a sleeping position just before the door opened. Someone walked toward her bed and bent down over her body.

     "She’s asleep. C'mon. We need to get out of here," A woman spoke. Strange. There weren't many women working here. The girl felt two hands pick her up from under her knees and upper back. She was careful to keep her eyes closed and let her arms dangle.

     They were probably going to take her in for more experimentation. If that was true, she would have to wait it out until the burning started. But something was different about all the other times they'd done this. They usually strapped her to a cart. And why were they running?

     The person who held her turned a corner and went up a ramp. There were no ramps here, as far as she knew. She heard an engine start. None of this made sense, but she would just have to wait to find out what horror they had in store for her until it happened. The running stopped while a door opened, and then she was placed on a cot. The footsteps receded and the door closed. She opened her eyes and sat up.

     The room was a metallic gray. All four walls, along with the floor and ceiling, were made of hexagon-shaped tiles. The only piece of furniture in the room was the cot she was sitting on and a fold out chair. For once, there were no cameras to monitor her every move- none that she could see, at least. She could hear an engine in the distance. There was a sudden feeling of going upward, like a plane taking off. A blanket laid folded on the edge of the cot. She shivered and wrapped it around her arms.

* * *

 

     It seemed like forever before the door opened again. A man wearing a suit entered the room. The girl studied him closely. He looked friendly enough, and she couldn't see the bulge of a weapon anywhere on him. Still, she didn't take her eyes off of him.

     "Hello, Madeline. I'm Phil Coulson," he said as he turned and closed the door. He sat in the chair and gave her a polite smile. He added as an afterthought, "You go by Madeline, right?”

     She responded in a barely audible whisper, "Maddi."

     "Nice to meet you, Maddi," Though Coulson smiled, he felt sorry for the girl across from him. In the picture he had seen, she had been full of life. Her smile was one that could brighten an entire room. The gray-blue eyes were full of laughter. Now she was sickly pale and unhealthily skinny. Her cold and calculating eyes had dark circles under them. She didn't smile at all. Her clothes were beige and way too loose on her, like rags. God, what had they done to her?

     "Where are we?" Maddi asked without any emotion in her voice.

     When he next spoke, Coulson was calm. "We're on a S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarrier. We're taking you to the hospital at a S.H.I.E.L.D. base for a physical and psychological exam. We need to make sure that there are no internal wounds and treat potential mental and emotional trauma," Coulson looked into Maddi's distrustful eyes and decided that maybe a more reassuring approach was the way to go, "I promise you that you are safe with us."

     As scared as she must have been, Maddi seemed to relax a little. "Can I show you something, sir?"

     This caught Coulson's attention. "Yeah, what is it?" he asked concernedly as he shifted forward in his chair.

     "I... while I was with them- whoever 'they' are- they experimented on me. They injected me with serums, electrocuted me, all sorts of stuff. Well, eventually, I guess one serum worked, because after a few hours..." she didn't seem to be able to find the words anymore, so she stuck out her hand. What was inside her palm nearly gave Coulson a heart attack. Out of nowhere, Maddi had conjured a bright orange flame.


	3. Tony

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so this chapter is a little slow and reeeeaally long, so I'm sorry about that, but it's setting up for some Maddi/Tony bonding that will affect Maddi's recovery later. So please just be patient with this one. Thanks!

     How did Tony let Phil talk him into this again? Oh right, because he was an idiot. Sure, he had plenty of room in his mansion, but a  _teenage girl_? Tony could barely take care of himself, let alone a kid. Pepper assured him that he would do just fine, that she could mostly care for herself, and what both Maddi and Tony couldn't work out together, Pepper would be there to help. She had been the one to decorate Maddi's room, and good thing too, because Tony probably would have picked out the first mismatched things he saw in the store. Still, the idea of living with someone who could spontaneously combust if she got too upset or excited -the doctors told Tony that it had happened twice already- made Tony a little uneasy.

     Too late to turn back now, though. Today was the day that she was released from medical observation. Tony was irrationally nervous. Should he dress up for this? Should he have bought her a gift? What were the social customs for adopting a kid? That's the closest term he could come with. The kid would live with Tony, but both he and the kid's parents would have legal guardianship.

     "Tony, you'll do just fine. Just be friendly to her. Don't push her though. Give her space but also someone to talk to," Pepper said as she straightened Tony's tie.

     "You know, you're giving me some mixed signals here," Tony replied. Pepper rolled her eyes.

     "They'll be here soon. Just _relax_."

     Soon enough, a car pulled onto Tony's long driveway. Both Pepper and Tony rushed out front to greet it. Phil Coulson stepped it of the car and opened the passenger door for Maddi.

     Tony had never met Maddi before. The only times he had seen her were in pictures, and she looked different than even those. The pictures he had seen showed a pale, bony girl who looked as though she expected someone to attack her at any moment. The girl standing in front of him was still pale and skinny, but she had already made signifigant improvement just in the span of a week. The doctors said that she seemed to have accelerated healing, but _damn_ , that was fast. She wore thrift shop jeans and a tank top, no doubt something that a sympathetic agent had bought her so that she wouldn't have to live in hospital gowns. She gave Tony and Pepper a small, shy smile, which Tony returned. The only thing she had was a small box holding a few articles of clothing, some toiletries, and a hospital gift shop teddy bear. Her parents had not been able to send any of her possessions to her yet.

     They made their introductions and Coulson and Maddi said goodbye, promising that they would keep in contact. Maddi, Tony, and Pepper waved as Coulson drove away, then Tony turned to Maddi.

     "Do you want to come inside?" Tony asked, gesturing to the door. Maddi nodded and entered the mansion.

     "Woah," Maddi whispered in disbelief, looking around. The living room was about half the size of a football field, but it was hard to be sure because of its odd, abstract shape. Built into the wooden ceiling was a circular skylight. On one side of the room was a long, curved couch. On another, on a raised platform three steps up, was a shiny grand piano. Just behind that, a floor-to ceiling window showed the Pacific Ocean past a forest. Spiral staircases led both up and down. The curved, white walls were decorated with paintings, abstract and realistic alike. The inside of the house had a distinct smell, like a mix of old spice cologne and the ocean air.

     "Come upstairs. I'll show you your bedroom," Pepper said with a kind smile. Maddi shifted the box she was holding and followed Pepper up the stairs. The left wall on the staircase was made entirely of glass, while the right was textured white drywall.

     Maddi's room was the first one on the left. She opened the door and stepped inside. Her room was big enough that even with the king sized bed, she could stretch from the edge of her bed as far as she could reach, and still not be even reach halfway to the wall. The walls were stark white (no pun intended). Soft beige carpet covered the floors. A window seat was built into the wall, so that Maddi would be able to have a perfect view out of the window, which was about three quarters the length of her body and faced toward the ocean. It was open now, so she could feel the breeze coming inside. The curtains and comforter were sea foam green. There was a dresser across from the bed made of dark mahogany, which matched the bookshelf, desk -which she set her cardboard box on-, and bedside tables. On one of the tables stood a vase of pink plumerias. Two wooden doors stood on either side of the bed. Pepper led her through the door on the left, which turned out to be a luxury bathroom.

     The shower door was completely clear, with a rainfall shower head. Inside, something that looked similar to an iPad was built into the wall, except instead of games and apps, it had settings for the shower- temperature, water pressure, even soap scent. Maddi wondered how it was be able to get wet without short circuiting. A bathtub stood in another corner, with a similar tablet built into the wall. The vanity was mahogany with a white marble countertop and a translucent aqua basin sink.

     The other door led to a huge walk in closet, complete with a spinning clothes rack. Having completed Maddi's quick tour of her room, Pepper told her that lunch would be ready by one o'clock and that she could either eat in the dining room or Pepper could bring it up to her bedroom. It was obvious that Pepper was trying to give Maddi the space that she needed, and Maddi was grateful for that.

     "I think I'll come down for lunch. Thank you for showing me around," Maddi said. If she was going to be living here, she should not isolate herself from her caretakers; besides, this would give her a chance to explore more of the mansion. Pepper nodded and closed the door behind her.

     Unpacking the small box did not take very long, so Maddi was unsure of what else to do with herself. She wanted to explore, but she thought that nosing around in a stranger's house might seem a bit rude, especially since she had just arrived. Really, she supposed that what she wanted more than anything else right now was to talk to her family. She hadn't seen them in two months, and she missed them so much. Maddi sighed as she realized that her little sister's ninth birthday had already passed; it was the sixteenth of December and her sister had turned nine on the twelveth. Maybe Tony would let Maddi mail a late birthay gift to her parents' house...

     Maddi made a mental note to ask Tony, and then tried to stop thinking about it, because it would only make her miss her family more. She sat on the bed and stared around the room. It was a lot to take in. She felt like any second she'd wake up and be back in that concrete box. She walked downstairs and into the kitchen, where Pepper was already making ham and cheese sandwiches. 

     "Hey," Pepper said when she noticed Maddi.

     "Hi," Maddi replied, nearly whispering.

     "Do you want to sit with us?" Pepper asked. Maddi nodded. Pepper served the sandwiches and took a seat at the head of the table, right between Maddi and Tony.

     "So..." Tony began, trying to find something to talk about, "Tell us about yourself."

     "What do you want to know?"

     "What kind of things do you like? What hobbies do you have?" Pepper asked. Maddi shrugged.

     "What kind of music do you like?" Tony said in an effort to keep the conversation going.

     Maddi's voice was quiet when she spoke. "Pretty much anything, I guess."

     "Okay," he said, "What about your family? What are they like?"

     "Well, I used to live with my dad, mom- really, she's my stepmom, but I call her my mom anyway- and my little sister."

     "How old is your sister?" Pepper asked.

     "She just turned nine," Maddi remembered what she had wanted to ask Tony earlier. "That reminds me, I didn't get to send her a birthday gift. Would it be okay if I maybe buy her one? Please?"

     Tony nodded, then after a moment of silence, Pepper said, "So, maybe we should talk about the rules."

     "First," said Tony, "until we're given the all clear, stay in the house or where we can see you at all times. Nothing to worry about, we just need to make sure you're safe. Second, please be honest with us. Nothing good is going to come out of lying. Third, clean up after yourself. Do your own laundry, keep your room clean,  help out with chores, things like that. Aside from that, just use your common sense. If it's illegal, don't do it. Be respectful. That type of thing."

     Maddi nodded her agreement, and they finished their meal, talking in a slightly awkward, get-to-know-you kind of way. Still, it made Maddi feel better knowing that she had someone to talk to at all. Tony spent a good chunk of the day showing Maddi around the house, letting her know where she was and wasn't allowed to go. For dinner, they had fettuccini alfredo, which, after such a long time of only getting nutrients through an IV, tasted really good. Maddi hadn't even realized how hungry she'd been. She was usually pretty hungry, and she could eat twice as much as a normal girl her age; the doctors said it had something to do with how the experimentation affected her metabolism.

     At about 9:30, Maddi decided to go to bed. It had been a long day, and she hadn't gotten much sleep the night before. As she bundled up in her soft, warm comforter, in her very own room, she had a thought:  _I think I'm gonna like it here._

* * *

     Maddi stood near the top of a hill. The sky above her was a sulfurous yellow, and spots of something dark stained the dead grass.

     "You can still save them." The voice was male, and smooth like honey.

     "Save who?" Maddi called out. The voice did not answer. Then, as she climbed over the crest of the hill, she saw exactly who.

     Bodies littered the ground below. She shut her eyes as tight as possible. In those few seconds, she saw the faces of people she knew, people she loved. Family. Friends. Even teachers. She felt nauseous.

     Then the dream changed. She was strapped down to a chair while cold hands attached electrodes to her body. The cold hands moved away, and she started to relax.

     Suddenly, she was on fire. She could feel every molecule of her body explode. She didn't know whether she screamed or not, because she could only sense the pain. _Let me die, let me die, let me die._

     Maddi woke up in a cold sweat.


	4. TILS

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really sorry if some of this didn't turn out so good. I was sort of half asleep when I wrote it, plus my phone has been malfunctioning lately and the autocorrect is being all weird. I think this chapter I'm going to start adding chapter playlists though. The music and pop culture references may not always line up with the time period that this takes place, btw.

     The next few weeks proceeded without too many outstanding events. The day after Maddi arrived, they went to a huge mall in the city. Tony told Maddi to spend as much as she wanted, and when Maddi hesitated, Tony told her that he had more money than he knew what to do with. She knew _that_ already, but Tony reassuring her that it was no problem set her mind at ease. At the end of the day they returned with so many shopping bags that even with the three of them, they still had to make multiple trips to get all the bags inside.

     Maddi continued to go to her S.H.I.E.L.D. issued psychiatrist, who suggested that she take up a new hobby, maybe some kind of instrument or exercise routine. So, the following Monday, Maddi had her first private dance lesson. The time she spent training every day in the months past had helped her get a head start, but she still had a lot of catching up to do if she wanted to be at the same level as other dancers her age.

     Maddi's initial recovery was progressing slowly. The first week and a half or so, she rarely smiled, and only then to try to be polite. Tony would often find her in her room staring at a blank wall, not moving. Then he started to find her reading books- _Wizard of Oz_ , _The Martian_ , _Sherlock Holmes_ ,whatever she could get her hands on- in the corner beside her dresser. Tony decided to show her his library, which had just about any genre you could imagine, though he rarely used it. Maddi's jaw dropped when she saw it.

     After a while, thanks to Tony's support and continued treatments, it became a bit less frequent, though it hasn't stopped completely. Then, one day while she helped with the dishes, she hummed along to a song, something she had not done since before being kidnapped. She even started to crack smiles when Tony made ridiculous jokes.

     She still woke up screaming in the middle of the night. At first, Tony had no idea what to do, so he called Pepper in while Maddi cried. Then he tried to comfort her on his own. Maddi never liked to talk about her dreams, but Tony had a pretty good guess as to what they were.

     Soon, her birthday came along. Tony, Pepper, and Maddi didn't do much on the actual day, considering it was Christmas Eve. The only thing that they did was have a cake made by a small bakery in town, but they decided that in January they would have a party. 

     Maddi's first Christmas at Tony's wasn't especially eventful, but it was memorable all the same. Maddi had nothing to give to Tony and Pepper, which she felt terrible about. Both of them told her not to worry about it.

     Despite the fact that Maddi had been loaded down with shopping bags not two weeks earlier, when Pepper took her out to stock her wardrobe, the Christmas tree the three of them had set up together was ringed all the way around with gifts. She received new video games, movies, books, clothes, leotards and matching tutus for dancing, sketchbooks, colored pencils, and a ukulele; she'd mentioned wanting to learn to play after watching some songs on YouTube. Pepper picked out most of the gifts. Tony had payed for them. He barely knew want to buy for his girlfriend, let alone a girl he had just met a few weeks ago.

     Her last present was the biggest; the box stood almost as tall as Maddi. She ripped off the wrapping paper and looked at the box. Printed on the outside of it were the words  _STARK INDUSTRIES_. Maddi looked at Tony, unsure what to make of this. Had Tony invented something for her, or shipped in one of his inventions from some factory?

     "Go on," Tony said, unable to hide his obvious pride in having picked such a good gift. She opened the top of the box and dug through the packing peanuts.

     She had no idea what the thing inside was. It looked like a huge metal disk, but instead of being completely flat on both sides, the bottom had a slight bulge and, while the top was mostly flat, it had little ridges running over the surface.

     "What is it?" Maddi asked.

     "Pull it out and see," Tony answered. Maddi could hear the pride in his voice.

     Maddi gently tilted the box over so that she could get a better grip on the thing in the box. As she slid it out, she noticed something else in the box too. It was a little styrofoam container. She opened it up, and inside were cuffs about the size of her wrists.

     "Try them on," said Tony.

     Maddi sqeezed the cuffs onto her wrists. They fit snugly, but not uncomfortably. She could feel leather padding on the inside. On the left cuff was a screen that when tapped, turned on to reveal an amethyst colored background and  several virtual buttons labeled with things like "GOODNIGHT" and "PHONE." Maddi pressed the one that said "LIFT."

     Suddenly, light tubes the same color as the screen lit up around the sides of the disk. The disk lifted about half a foot off the ground, and Maddi could see lights underneath, too.

     Maddi gaped. "What...?"

     Tony's expression was somewhere between excited and smug. "I call it TILS, for 'The Intelligent Levitation System'. Go ahead, try it out."

     "Uh, maybe not here," Pepper intervened, looking around at all the breakables around the room.

     Tony nodded. "Right. C'mon, lets go outside. I'll show you how to control the board."

* * *

     Tony explained what each button was for on the cuffs. Here's a condensed list:

JARVIS- Speak with J.A.R.V.I.S., the AI home computer system.

LIFT- Raise board from the ground.

GOODNIGHT- Shuts off board until another button is pressed again.

GOOD MORNING- Turns board on.

PHONE- Exactly what it sounds like.

MESSAGES- Texting (Don't text and fly, kids).

COLOR SWITCH- The colors of the board aren't permanently set on purple. They can be just about any color of the rainbow, plus white, strobe, gradient, and color changing.

VOICE- Records audio.

MUSIC- Can save thousands of songs.

INTERFACE- Pulls up weird 3D screen that you can move around.

     Aside from that, learning to ride was easy. It was staying on the board that was the problem. The cuffs apparently worked as crash cuffs, too. Any time she got too high and started to fall off- which happened _a lot_ \- the cuffs held her close to the edge of the board, like they had invisible chains strapped to them, and then the board gradually lowered itself until she was safely on the ground.

     Riding it felt like something in between skateboarding and riding a rollercoaster. The board turned with the slightest shift in Maddi's weight. She suspected that the cuffs also helped sense her center of gravity. Wind and spray from the sea smacked against her face and made her cheeks red and cold, despite the warm Malibu air.

     After about an hour and a half of dipping, diving, and -most often- falling, Maddi went back inside to have lunch and then call her family. Maddi was going to fly out to Ohio to visit her friends and family the next day using Tony's private jet, but still, she missed them, and it was Christmas.

     Maddi used the TV screen in her room to Skype her parents by hooking up her laptop to it. They were currently staying with Maddi's grandma on her mom's side. They talked about everything that Maddi had missed. Reesie got to have an actual birthday party this year, which had never worked out in the past due to weather, illness, or money. Maddi said she was sorry she missed it. The twin kittens that Maddi's family had adopted the night before Maddi had gone missing, named Bonnie and Clyde, were now almost fully grown. Meanwhile, Reese wanted to show Maddi all of the new toys that she had gotten for Christmas.

     Just as Maddi hung up, she heard a knock at the door.

     "Come in," she said.

     Tony poked his head inside the door. "So, apparently, we have a Christmas party to go to tonight."

     "You say that like you just found out."

     "Pepper planned it."

     "Ah."

     "It's a formal thing, so you'll need to wear a nice dress. I think Pepper got you one."

     "Yeah, she did."

     Tony stepped into the room. "Also, this is going to be your first major public appearance. There's gonna be a lot of paparazzi there, and they're probably gonna swarm you, so if it gets to be too much, just let me or Pepper know and we'll get you out of there."

     "Okay. Thanks."

     "No problem."

     "I mean it, Tony. Thank you. For everything," Maddi's eyes stared more intensely now, almost a stormy gray color, and Tony understood what she hadn't spoken. _For taking me in when I had nowhere else to go. For being a friend. For caring about me._

     "Well, like I said, no problem. Besides, what was I gonna do? Let you live at some government base for the rest of your life?" He gave Maddi one last grin before leaving the room to let her get ready.

     The dress was sky blue, nearly floor length, with a semi-sweetheart neckline. There wasn't much Pepper could do with Maddi's hair since it was so short, but she managed to make a waterfall braid and curl the ends. She kept her makeup simple, just foundation, mascara and lip gloss.

     Tony led them all into the limo out front. Maddi had only been in a limo once before, and that was on her 13th birthday. This time was similar, minus the thirteen year old kids, the boyband music, and the screaming. Across from the seats was a shelf with champagne for Tony and Pepper, and pop and candy for Maddi.

     As they arrived at the party, camera flashes blinded Maddi. She heard questions from all sides, and she even caught one reporter saying "-where the child that Tony Stark took in will be making her first public appearance-"

     "Madeline Gartin, I'm from _People_  magazine. May I get a picture please?" asked one frantic reporter.

     "Um, sure." said Maddi, smiling awkwardly.

     After progressing through the camera ridden crowd, smiling and taking pictures along the way, they made it inside. The party was held at a fancy hotel, the kind Maddi had never been to. Tables that sat ten people each were set up around the ballroom, leaving a space open to be used as a dance floor. The air smelled like berries and peppermint. Maddi felt a bit uncomfortable due to the fact that she had never been to an event like this, so she had no idea how she should behave. Was she supposed to talk to random people? Should she wait for them to come to her? Could she just curl up into a ball and disappear forever? The fact that she didn't know anybody there didn't help. Perhaps Tony could sense her discomfort, because he took Maddi around to introduce her to people.

     The first person she was introduced to was a half-bald black man with a friendly smile. "Maddi, this is Colonel James Rhodes. We call him Rhodey," said Tony, "Rhodey, Maddi."

     "Nice to meet you, Maddi. Tony's told me a lot about you," he said, shaking her hand. He gestured to the girl standing at his side. "This is my niece, Delilah."

     Delilah was a cute girl that looked about 16 or 17. She was tall and curvy, and had a burnt umber complexion. The dress she wore was sleeveless and lavender. It was hemmed at the ankles and showed off her white heels. Her curly hair was done in an elegant updo. Her eyes were chocolate brown.

     "Hi," Delilah said, grinning. Maddi, Tony, Pepper, Rhodey, and Delilah found an empty table and sat down. Maddi had no idea what the adults were discussing, because she was too caught up in conversation with Delilah.

     "I'm an only child. You?" asked Delilah.

     "I have a thirteen year old brother and a nine year old sister. I'm the oldest."

     "Ugh, you're lucky. I wish I had siblings."

     "Having siblings is great, but being the oldest one sucks."

     The two talked so intently that they barely noticed what went on around them. One thing that Delilah noticed about Maddi was that she occasionally switched to a completely different language. She could be using perfect English, then all of a sudden, Russian.

     "So, when did you learn to speak Russian?" Delilah asked after the fourth time of having to tell Maddi that she was not speaking English.

     "Those people who kidnapped me, they sort of... let's just say 'brainwashed' it into me. You don't really want a visual. So now I can speak English and Russian."

     "Wow."

     Someone made an announcement that the band was taking a break and that a DJ would be replacing them for a little while, which was a bit of a relief to both Maddi and Delilah because the music the band was playing was pretty shitty. A song that they actually recognized started up.

     "Hey, let's go dance!" Delilah said, grabbing Maddi's hand. Delilah pulled Maddi onto the dance floor, where a crowd was beginning to form.

     The two of them moved to the beat of the music. The song was an upbeat pop song, the kind that you really can't help but sing along to. The song ended, and Maddi and Delilah were still grinning from ear to ear as the next one started. A photographer who had been running around taking pictures of everyone snapped a few candid photos while they danced, and then asked for a posed one. The girls smiled and draped their arms around eachother's shoulders.

     Maddi didn't want the night to end, but unfortunatly time flies when you're having fun. Around one in the morning, Maddi and Delilah exchanged numbers and parted ways. Tony, Maddi, and Pepper loaded themselves back into the limousine and headed back home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Shut Up and Dance"- Walk the Moon
> 
> "All I Want for Christmas is You"- Mariah Carey


	5. Offer

     Maddi's trip home was a whirlwind of family (some people Maddi hadn't seen since she was three), friends (damn, they hugged hard), invitations (for her birthday party), and body slams (seriously, don't ask).

     She didn't realised just how much she'd missed it all- the snow, her home, the cities, the familiar sights- until she was there.

     Soon the week was over, and Maddi was about to leave for California. She said her last goodbyes to her family, promising to call once she got back to Tony's mansion, and boarded the plane.

     Delilah and Maddi had started Skyping every day, and not two minutes after Maddi was able to turn her phone back on again, it rang, flashing Delilah's Skype username. Maddi answered the call.

     Delilah asked her all about the trip, about her family, friends, everything. Maddi made sure to invite her to the party, which would be that Friday. Since her friends would have to fly to California from Ohio, they were staying the whole weekend. Delilah seemed excited, and Maddi was too.

     In what felt like no time, the plane was ready to land, and Maddi had to shut her electronics off.

     Fifteen minutes later, she stepped outside and into the warm sunlight, which highly contrasted the snowy cold of the Midwest. Happy waited by the car with a sign that had Maddi's name on it, which was completely unnecessary, considering that he was the only person there. Maddi waved as she walked toward him and got in the passenger seat.

     "So, how was the trip?" Happy asked as he started the engine.

     "It was great! My parents threw a coming home slash birthday party for me, so I got to see all my old friends and family. How've things been here?"

     "Eh, same old, same old, except for... something. I'll let Tony tell you." Then, because he couldn't think of anything else to say, Happy asked, "So, you want to listen to the radio?"

     Maddi said yes, but she didn't really pay attention to the music. She was too busy wondering what that "something" could be.

* * *

 

     When the car pulled up to the house, Tony was already waiting outside. He grabbed Maddi's bag from the backseat and ushered her into the house.

     After a quick greeting, Tony said, "Go drop your bags off in your room, then come back down here. There's someone that wants to talk to you."

     Maddi raised her eyebrows questioningly, but did as she was told. She threw her duffel bag onto her bed, then rushed downstairs. No point in keeping anyone waiting. She wondered if this was the "something" Happy mentioned.

     Tony led her into a room off the living area, which turned out to be a small office. Overall, it was pretty plain. A metal desk, two chairs, a bookshelf... nothing special. The only surprising thing was the person in the room.

     Behind the desk, reading a book, sat Phil Coulson.

     "Phil?" Maddi asked. She hadn't been expecting him anytime soon. He wasn't here for more questioning, was he?

     Coulson bookmarked his page, then turned and gave Maddi a smile. "Have a seat." He looked up at Tony. "Could you give us a minute, please?"

     "Sure," Tony said before leaving the room and closing the door behind him.

     "What's going on? I'm not in trouble, am I?" asked Maddi.

     "No, you're not in trouble. Actually, just the opposite. I came to offer you something." He paused. "I talked to my supervisors, and S.H.I.E.L.D would like to hire you as a field agent."

     Maddi was so stunned, she could only say, "What?"

     "We see potential in you. Given proper training, you could learn to control those powers and use them to your advantage. You're not the first person we've met with extraordinary abilities. Many of them work alongside us. Even Stark is technically a member of S.H.I.E.L.D., too. He's a consultant."

     "What did Tony say about all this?"

     "I've already discussed it with Stark. He thinks it's a good idea for you to get yourself into the real world again. He seemed a little concerned about you being so young, but I assured him it would be a while before you get to do any field work."

     "How long?"

     "Well, usually, agents go to S.H.I.E.L.D Academy, where they learn the history of S.H.I.E.L.D and how to operate in field missions, but you're a special case. We can assign an S.O. to give you a crash course in everything you need to know."

     Maddi sat back in her chair and folded her arms. "What's an S.O.?"

     "It stands for supervising officer."

     "Okay. So, I wouldn't have to go to the academy-"

     "Unless you exhibit signs of needing extensive training."

     "Right. So then, how long until I get to go on missions and stuff?"

     "That depends on when your S.O. feels you're ready. Any more questions?"

     Maddi thought for a moment. "Not right now. I'm sure I'll think of some later, though."

     Phil smiled. "Well, if you _do_ come up with any more, call this number." He handed her a business card. "I'll give you some time to think it over." He walked over and opened the door, then turned back to Maddi and said, "It was good to see you again."

     "Yeah. Good to see you too." And with that, Coulson walked out of the room, leaving Maddi alone with her thoughts.


	6. Silver

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A friend of mine has been waiting for this chapter for forever, so here it is!

     Maddi left the office and went up to her room. She flopped down onto her bed and absentmindedly played with the butterfly locket she got from her parents during the visit, staring down at the business card. Too many questions raced through her head to focus on any of them.

     She heard a knock at the door. "Maddi?" called Tony's voice.

     "Yeah?"

     "Can I come in?" That was one thing Maddi liked about Tony- he always respected her privacy, unlike her parents, who almost never bothered to even knock.

     "Yeah."

     Tony opened the door and sat down at the foot of Maddi's bed. "So, what do you think? Are you gonna take the job?"

     "I don't know. It seems pretty cool, being a secret agent and all, but I'm not sure if I'm ready for that kind of thing yet."

     "Well, I'm not gonna try to talk you into anything, but I think it's a great opportunity for you to get back out there."

     "Yeah, Phil mentioned that. He also said that you were worried about it, too."

     Tony shrugged. "Maybe a little, just because of your age. You're going to be in the middle of combat, and believe me, it gets rough out there. But don't let my thoughts about it affect your decision. You might be young, but you're also smart and strong, and I know you can handle whatever life throws at you. Just take some time to think about it."

     "Thanks, Tony."

     "No problem, kid. Just come to me if you ever need to talk." He stood up and headed toward the door.

     She nodded. "Thank you. I will."

     "Good, Tony said, "You should get ready to leave. Pepper's taking you to get some stuff for your party." He smiled at her and left the room.

* * *

      They had decided that Maddi's party would be a dance party. Pepper still had to get lights, a cake, snacks, and Maddi's dress.

     The dress was red, knee length, and poofy, like a prom dress, with lacy sleeves and a ribbon around the waist. Maddi found some silver open-toed heels to go with it.

     The cake had three tiers. It was white, with a sky blue ribbon running along the bottom of each tier. The top ribbon was tied into a bow. A blue number 16 stuck out of the top of the cake.

     The decorations were fairly simple, just some white Christmas lights strung along the ceiling and a few tables with blue tablecloths.

     Even through the excitement, she was nervous about facing her boyfriend and best friend since sixth grade, Jacob Bowens, for the first time again. One of two things would happen: either they would try long distance (which Maddi knew wouldn't work out, since it had barely worked with her going to a STEM based school and him going to her home school), or they would break up that night.

     Jacob was a good friend, but the relationship felt a little awkward to Maddi. Still, she wasn't looking forward to the probable break up, because, despite the pact they made when they first started dating, she was afraid it might get weird.

     Finally, _finally_ , Friday came, and Maddi waited out front for the party bus full of her friends to show up.

     Around six o'clock, the bus pulled up, and about thirty of her friends piled out, all talking at once.

     "Hey Maddi!"

     "Dude, that plane was so cool!"

     "Sup, fuckin' nerd!"

     "The trash is here!"

     "Where's Tony Stark?"

     Maddi led them all inside. She showed the girls to her room and the boys to the room Pepper had prepped for them. She left the guys and went to her room with the girls, who were all talking, going through her stuff, or elbowing each other around.

     A few minutes later, Pepper entered the room. "Party starts at seven! You should all start getting ready!"

     All the girls talked and laughed as they dressed up. Everyone oohed and aahed at each other's outfits. Maddi got caught up with her friends, and an hour later, everyone was ready for the party.

     Everyone gasped and looked around as they went down the stairs. All the lights were off, except for the white Christmas ones on the ceiling and some that glowed around the edges of the tables. A DJ played pop music. The cake sat on its own table, and the snacks were on a separate one. The boys were already milling around, looking slightly uncomfortable in their suits.

     Maddi reached the bottom of the stairs and joined her friends.

* * *

      The party was a huge hit. Only a few people didn't dance. They sat on the sidelines and tried to have conversations over the music. The DJ apparently didn't like that, so he announced in an Eastern European accent that there would be a snowball dance and that everyone would have to participate.

     A couple of people groaned, but they all made their way to the dance floor. Maddi was first asked to dance by one of her guy friends, and she accepted. The DJ yelled, "Snowball!", and everyone picked new partners.

     Jacob tapped Maddi on the shoulder and she turned around. "Hey," he said, "can we talk?"

     Maddi had been avoiding him all night. Avoiding this. But she said, "Yeah."

     She put her arms around his neck and he put his hands on her waist. "So..." he began.

     "So?"

     "I think- I think we should talk about... us."

     "Yeah, I guess we have to."

     "I think we should break up," Jacob blurted. "I mean, I like being with you, but with you living in California now..."

     "Yeah, I totally agree," Maddi said. A huge weight lifted from her shoulders, not just from the conversation being easier than she expected, but also from the feeling of being free from a relationship.

     "Still friends, right? It's not going to be weird?" Jacob asked.

     "Of course."

     As if on cue, the DJ called "Snowball!" and Maddi and Jacob went to find new partners.

     A while later, as she stood next to Tony, two of Maddi's best friends, Paige and Katie, passed by.

     "Hey, Mads!" Paige said, then she turned to Tony, her eyes wide and face red. "Hi, Mr. Stark!" Paige walked away, still blushing.

     "She likes you," Maddi told Tony.

     "Great party!" Katie said, then shot Tony a dirty look and followed Paige.

     "She doesn't."

     "What's her problem?" Tony asked, staring at Katie as she walked away.

     "She said she thinks you're a 'capitalist, womanising pig' or something," Maddi replied.

     "Yeah, heard that one a few times."

* * *

      Everything was going great until Maddi saw the flash of silver in the DJ's pocket. Apparently, Tony saw what it was, because he leaned in close and told Maddi, "Get everyone upstairs. Go!"

     Maddi ran around and told everyone to go to her room, because there was a slight problem. She didn't clarify, just said that Tony would take care of it.

     Once everyone was safely in her room, Maddi listened at the door. There was a small crash, and everyone started talking at once.

     "Guys, shut up!" Maddi said, "I'm trying to listen."

     After the second crash, Maddi said, "Okay, I'm going to go see what's happening. I cannot stress this enough- you all need to _stay here_. I'll be back in a minute."

     Maddi army crawled to the edge of the balcony, where she could hear voices but stay just out of sight.

     "I see you've spoiled the child. Very different from her life before." A wild laugh, and then another crash.

     "Wanna tell me why you're here, or do I have to beat it out of you?" That was Tony's voice, but it sounded robotic. He had to be wearing his Iron Man suit.

     "Just give me the child, and I'll be on my way." The child... Was he talking about _Maddi_?

     "Not a chance." The sound of something hard hitting flesh and bone, then an "oomph."

     "That's too bad. She's worth a lot to my supervisors."

     Maddi peeked her head around the corner, and gasped silently. The DJ sat on the ground, against a wall, a gun drawn on Tony. Blood dripped from his nose and the corner of his mouth. It even covered parts of his blonde hair. Tony's wore his suit, as Maddi had suspected. Several vases and picture frames were smashed and lying on the ground.

     "Aaaand, there she is!" said the DJ, looking up at Maddi, "Couldn't stifle your curiosity, sweetie?" That laugh again, and then Tony's fist slammed into his nose.

     Tony turned towards Maddi. "I told you to stay upstairs!" The DJ took advantage of Tony's inattention and jumped on him from behind, holding the gun to Tony's head.

     He addressed Maddi now. "Come downstairs, child. It's okay, nobody needs to get hurt. Just come with me and Mr. Stark stays safe."

     "Maddi, no!" Tony shouted, "The suit'll protect me. Stay up there. I can take this guy."

     "Wrong choice, Stark." The man turned the gun onto Maddi, still keeping a chokehold on Tony. "Come downstairs, _Madelina_." He said the Russian version of her name mockingly.

     Maddi didn't see what choice she had. She put her hands up and started toward the stairs.

     "That's it. Keep your hands up." He kept the gun trained on her. "I know all about your little magic trick, too, so don't try anything funny, or I'll blow your brains out."

     Maddi walked toward the man until he was within reaching distance. He grabbed her by the arm and put her in a chokehold, released Tony, and pointed the gun at him all in one swift movement. They were trapped.

     Then, Maddi got an idea, but it would have to be timed just right, and she would have to hope that Tony could read lips under that mask.

     She was glad about two things: First, that she was facing away from her captor and toward Tony, and second, that she was wearing heels.

     Very slowly, so that the man wouldn't be able to tell, she mouthed the words, "Grab the gun on the count of three." Tony nodded, barely. It was enough for the man to notice, though.

     "Hey! No sudden movements!" he shouted.

     Maddi tapped her fingers on her leg once, twice, three times. She did the last tap, and Tony was in motion. He pulled the pistol out of the man's hand so fast that Maddi almost missed her cue. She reached her leg up and kicked the man in the groin, driving her heel in as hard as she could. He crumpled to the floor, but only momentarily.

     Just as Maddi thought they'd beat him, he pushed himself up and slammed his fist into her jaw. White spots appeared in front of her eyes, and by the time she could see again, he had already pinned her arms down with his knees.

     His fist was raised for another strike when a metal hand pushed him off of her. She stood up and watched as Tony and the DJ struggled, Tony eventually slamming the man against a wall. He struggled, but couldn't move.

     "Go call the police!" Tony yelled. Maddi grabbed a phone someone had left on the table, hit the "emergency call" button, and called 911.

     Maddi explained the situation as quickly as she could, thought the man looked pretty secure.

     Soon, a police car arrived, and the man was loaded into the back. But before he left, he shouted something that sent goosebumps up Maddi's arms: " _my podnimemsya_!"

      _We shall rise_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Where did the Party Go"- Fall Out Boy


	7. Aftermath

     Inside, Maddi was met with questions.

     "What happened?"

     "Who got arrested?"

     "Are you okay?"

     "What's wrong with your jaw?"

     That last one startled her. Before, her adrenaline had been pumping, and she didn't even feel the pain from the blow to her jaw. Now, she realised how much it hurt, and her hand shot up to her face. Tony got her an ice pack from the kitchen.

     She and Tony explained what happened as everyone crowded around, facial expressions ranging from fear to shock to curiosity. After they finished telling their story, Tony told them that it was over now and not to worry about it.

     The party was supposed to continue for another hour, but everyone generally agreed to stopping the dance early. Pepper made them stay in their fancy clothes for a bit longer so she could get pictures, but after that they changed into pajamas. They played paranoia, truth or dare, body body, and "don't get me started". Maddi blew out her candles (standing on a step ladder), and they ate their cake with neapolitan ice cream.

     Around 12:30, they spread out across the couch and pulled up their sleeping bags on the floor to watch a movie.

     After the movie, Tony sent the boys and girls to their separate rooms. Everyone stayed up for a while longer, but one by one, they all fell asleep. Soon, Maddi, Paige, and Katie were the only ones awake. Since they all three shared the bed, they could talk easily. They'd taken to harassing Paige about her crush on Tony.

     "I think he knows you like him," Katie teased.

     "I _know_ he knows, because I told him," Maddi responded, "Seriously though, before I knew him it seemed okay, but now it's a little weird. He's kinda like a second dad to me."

     Paige snickered. "He can be _my_ -"

     "I swear, if you finish that sentence, I will push you off this bed," Maddi interrupted.

     Paige put her hands up in surrender. "Okay! I won't say it." But after a couple seconds of silence, Paige said, "Daddy."

     The next moment, there was loud laughter and a thump as Paige landed on the floor.

     "Shut up!" Kyrsten's annoyed voice stage whispered from across the room.

     "Sorry," Paige replied, still trying to supress her giggles as she climbed back on the bed.

     The door opened, and Tony stood in the doorway. "What's going on up here?"

     "Nothing," Paige replied, then under her breath, "Dad."

     "What?"

     "What?"

     Tony shook his head. Before leaving the room, he said, "Just keep it down up here."

     "What the fuck, Paige? What the actual, literal fuck? That's so gross," said Maddi in a scandalized tone, once Tony left the room.

     "That sounds like a _you_ problem."

     "Can we change the subject, please? I'm begging you."

     "Okay," said Katie, suddenly serious, "How about this. What exactly happened in the living room earlier?"

     Maddi recounted the events from before. She hesitated when she got to the part with the man's vague but chilling threat, but decided to continue. "Before he left, he said something in Russian. It translates to 'We shall rise.'"

     "What does that mean?" Katie asked.

     "No clue. I'll look into it later, but it can't be anything good."

     They came up with theories for who the man could be working for, but eventually, Katie and Paige decided to go to sleep. Maddi took off her locket and used the dim light coming from the bathroom to read the inscription one more time before setting it on her nightstand.

_You are smarter than you think_

_Braver than you feel_

_Stronger than you realize_

_And more beautiful than you could ever know._

_We love you._

_Love, Mom and Dad_

* * *

 

     The sound of conversation and the smell of maple syrup filled the living room as everyone chatted in small circles over toaster waffles and fruit. Most people discussed the previous night's events, some about the party, some about the fight.

     Just by looking at the room, someone that didn't live in the mansion wouldn't have known that there had ever even _been_ a fight, but it was glaringly obvious to Maddi. Things that had gotten broken during the fight were missing from the shelves, there was a blood stain on the floor that was barely noticeable, and a scuff on the wall. The rising sun shone on a slight crack in the window. Nobody else seemed to notice, but it made the whole atmosphere feel different to Maddi.

     She wondered if it wasn't the things she could see that made it feel different. Maybe it was because her sense of security was gone.

     The mansion had become a safe place for her, somewhere she felt completely protected. Now that it had been infiltrated, it didn't feel so secure.

     "Hello?" Maddi's friend, Karyss, said, waving her hand in front of Maddi's face, snapping her away from her thoughts.

     "Huh?" Maddi asked. She hadn't been paying the least bit of attention.

     "I said, do you know where Tony's taking us? He came in just a minute ago and said we're leaving in an hour and a half."

     "Oh. No, he didn't tell me. Said it was a surprise."

     "He said to wear walking shoes and shorts. Any idea where it could be?"

     "Um, I'm guessing somewhere with a lot of walking?" Maddi retorted.

     "Well, no duh."

     "I guess we'll find out. I should go get ready." She stood up and headed toward the kitchen to rinse her plate.

* * *

 

     An hour and a half later, the party bus was loaded and ready to leave. Maddi sat next to Katie and Paige, and across from Karyss. The four of them huddled together, deep in conversation.

     "You don't think anyone could show up like they did last night, could they?" Karyss asked. "I mean, we're going somewhere public, and if he got into the mansion last night, it would be easy-"

     "No, nothing's going to happen. Let's just stop worrying and enjoy the party, okay?" Maddi responded.

* * *

      Nearly an hour later, Maddi saw a sign that said "Disneyland" in big letters. Her jaw dropped. Apparently the others saw it too, because the chatter became louder and more excited.

     Once Happy found a parking spot, Tony made his way up front and grabbed the microphone.

     "Alright, settle down and listen," he instructed, and immediate quiet followed. Maddi thought, with amusement, that if only her friends teachers were famous too, it would be this easy to shut them up in class.

     "So," Tony continued, "I want everyone to have fun, but for your safety, and so your parents don't sue me, I have some rules.

     "First of all, use the buddy system. Have at least one friend with you at all times, that way if something happens, someone you know will be there to help. Maddi, I want you to have at least two people with you." Everyone turned and looked at Maddi, and she hid her face in her hands, her cheeks red.

     "Number two, at least one person you're with should have a charged phone with them and turned on. How many of you have a phone with you?" Almost everyone raised their hands. "Right. Stupid question. So you're covered there." He gave a number for people to text their names to so they could get reminders and notifications from him.

     "Number three, you're all expected to meet up at the Disney Gallery at noon, four, and eight for check ins. The park closes at eleven, so be back at the entrance by then.

     "Last thing, Pepper gave me a list of people who have lunch covered and people who need money. You know who you are. Those of you who need money, come see me when we get off the bus.

     "Alright, I want everyone to stay together until we get inside the park. Once we're inside, you're free to go do your own thing." Tony almost put the microphone back, but then pressed the button one more time. "Oh, and one more thing. I'll buy each of you one souvenir."

     Some people gasped excitedly, some fist pumped, and others yelled out "Thank you!"

     Tony announced that they could leave the bus, and as they did, Happy put a check mark next to each of their names on a sheet of paper. They gathered in a crowd outside the bus, and Tony and Happy led the way to the gates.

     Maddi walked with Kyrsten, a pretty blonde girl with freckles, and gushed about how much fun this was going to be.

     "The marching band's performing at Disney World in the spring," she stated with a shrug. She said it like it was way better than Maddi's trip.

     Maddi felt a touch of annoyance. Kyrsten _always_ did this back home. Anytime Maddi enjoyed something, Kyrsten found a way to stop it. Maddi liked a song, Kyrsten listened to it first. Maddi finally mastered something that she's proud of, Kyrsten does it better.

     And it wasn't just that. Maddi couldn't really talk to Kyrsten about any problems she might have either. Kyrsten always said that she had it worse. If she didn't, than the kids she visited on her church mission trips did.

     If Maddi called her out on anything, Kyrsten brought up her mission trips and made herself sound like a saint. Maddi was sick of it.

     Maddi's annoyance must have showed on her face, because Kyrsten looked insulted, like, "How dare you not like what I say to you!"

     "What?" Kyrsten snapped.

     Maddi tried to keep her mouth shut, but her anger got the best of her. "Can you, for _once_ , let me have fun without making it all about you?"

     "Calm down," Kyrsten said, blowing Maddi's comment off.

     Maddi's hands balled into fists. "Don't tell me to calm down. You do this all the time. It's always gotta be about you."

     "No it doesn't." Kyrsten scrunched up her face like she was confused, but she always made that face when she got upset and didn't want to show it.

     "Oh really? What about my birthday party that one year when you started crying because you weren't getting attention? Or when I made that flower painting, and you said that you could do it better? Or basically _anytime I did anything ever_ , and you laughed and called me awkward?"

     Kyrsten didn't answer, just walked ahead of Maddi, looking like she was about to cry. Maddi caught up with Paige and Austen, a tall, outgoing boy who was usually by Paige's side.

     "What was that all about?" asked Austen.

     "Nothing," Maddi answered with a sigh, "Just... Kyrsten being Kyrsten."

     "Meh, just ignore her. It's your weekend, so enjoy it."

     Maddi nodded. Austen was right. She was living a childhood dream, and she wasn't going to let one person ruin it.

     The entered the park, and the first thing Maddi saw was a brick building with pointed rooftops, and in front of it, a huge Mickey Mouse face made of flowers.

     Pepper had them take a few pictures in front of it, then they were free to go. Maddi ended up with Paige, Taylor, Julia, Delilah, MJ, Austen, Karyss, Katie, and MJ's boyfriend, Cole. Normally, Maddi would have kept her attention on the group, or at least tried, but everything was just so amazing. Maddi turned back and forth so fast, she thought she might get whiplash. She couldn't help it. She wanted to take in every inch of the place.

     Soon, however, the group boarded the California Screamin' ride, and Maddi's childlike wonder was set aside to make room for the pure adrenaline rushing through her body as the ride shot down the track.

     As the day progressed, Maddi only grew more excited. They rode rides, got temporary tattoos, and met up with Disney characters. She noted that the guy who played Captain Hook looked at her in a shady way, but she quickly brushed it off as her own paranoia. After the fireworks show, they went on a few more rides, then it was time to leave.

     Back on the bus, Maddi thanked Tony for everything he'd done to give her an awesome birthday, but he seemed distracted. Well, more distracted than usual, anyway. He was usually focused on his work, but this felt different, like something bothered him.

     "Tony? You okay?" Maddi asked.

     He looked around as if just noticing that she was talking to him. "Huh? Yeah, I'm fine."

     "Is something wrong?"

     "No, just... nevermind. We'll talk more tomorrow."

     Maddi wanted to protest that she'd worry about it all night now, but her friend Breonna pulled her away to show her some DIY crafts on her phone.

     After about half an hour, people started to settle down. The  buzz of conversation quieted to a couple of whispers here and there. Some people scrolled through their phones, and others  covered up with blankets and tried to sleep. Soon, Maddi, Katie, and Paige were the only ones still awake. The conversation somehow turned to Maddi's kidnapping.

     "What did they want with you?" Paige whispered.

     "I don't know. I mean, they wanted a soldier. Someone easily trainable, who's small enough to do things the bigger people can't do. But why they chose me specifically, I'm not sure."

     "There has to be a reason. Maybe someone you know is working for them," Katie suggested.

     Maddi shook her head. "I don't think so. Everyone I know are good people. They wouldn't do the things those people did."

     Everyone except... but no. She hadn't seen either of them in years. She wasn't even sure they knew her address. And even they wouldn't do something so horrible, right? She pushed the thought of them aside like she'd done so many times before.

     But someone had to have been watching her to know that she would take the trash out that night, and that she would be alone and easy to sneak up on.

     "Mads, you okay?" Katie asked.

     "Yeah. Just zoned out a little. Sorry."

     "If talking about it bothers you, we can stop," Paige said.

     "No, it's fine. It's actually kinda helpful for me to talk about it." She paused. "Can I show you something?"

     It was too dark to see their faces, but Katie's voice sounded both curious and concerned. "Yeah, of course."

     Maddi closed her eyes and focused on generating the flames. It was harder to do when she was already worn out from walking all day, but they came, curling around her fingers, casting a flickering light onto the bus walls. It was a few seconds before she realized more people were watching; they woke up at some point, and now they stared down at the fire in her hand. She attempted to make the flame spiral up her arm, but it didn't stray farther than a few inches.

     She extinguished the fire. By this point, everyone had woken up, and the bus was completely silent as they all stared at her. She could feel her face turning as hot as the flames.

     Finally, MJ broke the silence. " _Maddi..._ "

     As if they were waiting for a cue, Maddi's friends all burst into conversation at once. Before, the talking had been pleasant and cheerful, but now it was a roar in her ears, causing a sensory overload. Perhaps it was from the energy she spent on creating the flames, or maybe it was the overwhelmingess of everyone bombarding her with questions, but her ears started ringing. She covered her ears.

     Tony stood up and told everyone to back off, that Maddi would answer their questions if she wanted to.

     Her friends ended up raising their hands when they wanted to ask a question, making her feel like an elementary school teacher.

     Maddi explained that she couldn't do it for very long because it physically exhausted her, that she could usually only do it on certain parts of her body so far, and that it didn't hurt her. She told them that no, she wouldn't tell them what her captors did to her, because it was extremely gruesome and she didn't want to upset anyone. What she didn't mention, however, was that she wanted to avoid reliving the details of her torture.

     Her friends finished questioning her, and then she made a decision about something she'd been hesitant to tell them yet. Tony had told her that she should tell her friends, but she wasn't sure it was the right time until this moment. She stood up.

     "I, um, I have some good news. Has anyone here ever heard of S.H.I.E.L.D.?" When nobody answered, Maddi continued. "S.H.I.E.L.D. is sort of a FBI, CIA type... thing. They go on field missions, take down criminals, that kind of stuff. Anyway, they offered me a position as an agent. I'll have to do a lot of training, but eventually I'll be able to go on missions. I start this week."

     Most of the others just stared with surprised expressions or smiled and nodded, but a few congratulated her. She grinned and sat back in her seat.

     Before, it felt like something fictional, or something that might happen in the distant future, but now, saying it out loud in front of all her friends, it was real.

* * *

 

     They got back to the mansion, and as soon as they got inside, everyone went to bed. Maddi stared up at the ceiling in the dark, unable to make the smile leave her face.


	8. S.H.I.E.L.D.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just so you all know, this fic is a mix of MCU and comic book universe, so Clint will have his hearing aids, Young Avengers might come into play later on, etc.

     All of Maddi's friends left early in the afternoon so that they wouldn't be home too late. She hugged them and said her goodbyes, promising to keep in touch.

     Whenever she'd had a sleepover back in Ohio, the rest of the day after dropping her friend off always seemed too lonely, too quiet. That was how she felt now, but multiplied by about thirty. She turned on the tv to distract herself, but she needed real human interaction. She rolled out of bed and went to join Tony in his workshop.

     Usually she wasn't allowed down there without explicit permission, but Tony seemed to distracted to notice. She leaned against a table, her elbows propped up on the top.

     "Hey," she said.

     "Hey, kid," Tony replied, not looking up from the metal arm he was working on.

     "What are you doing?"

     "I'm adjusting the arm's sensitivity so it'll be easier to control in battle." A moment of silence, then, "How are you feeling about tomorrow?"

     Butterflies fluttered in her stomach at the mention of her first day at S.H.I.E.L.D. "Excited. A little nervous too."

     "Why are you nervous?"

     "I don't know. I'm just scared that I might not be any good at the whole 'agent' thing."

     "That's just first day jitters. You'll do great."

     After switching schools so many times, Maddi knew all about first day jitters. She thought she'd become all but immune to them, but apparently not.

     "But what if I get a bad S.O.? What if I forget all of my old fighting skills? What if-"

     "Maddi," he looked up from the arm now, and put a hand on her shoulder, "it's going to be fine. They'll probably spend the first couple of days or so giving you some kind of an orientation. They'll want to show you the ropes before you start any actual work."

     Maddi nodded. "Yeah, you're probably right."

     "And I'm sure you'll get a good S.O., too. I've met some of the agents, and they seem nice enough."

     Maddi took a deep breath and tried to calm her nerves. "Thanks, Tony. I feel a little better now."

     "Glad I could help. Now go on upstairs. I need to work on this arm."

* * *

     At 6 AM the next morning, Jarvis gave Maddi a wake up call. Maddi groaned and rolled out of bed. She put on her S.H.I.E.L.D. issued uniform- a navy blue jumpsuit and combat boots- and pulled her hair into a ponytail. On her way out the door, she grabbed a pack of mini muffins and said goodbye to Tony and Pepper.

     How the airplane managed to land on the rocky surface outside, Maddi didn't know. But there it was, a badass looking plane with the S.H.I.E.L.D. logo on the wings, waiting for her. She climbed inside.

     Compared to other quinjets, this one was probably pretty small, but it still had plenty of space to move around in. Empty seats lined the dark walls. The only other person there was the pilot, a friendly old guy.

     The pilot talked the whole way to the base, but Maddi didn't mind. She was glad for the company.

     Once they reached the base, Maddi saw Coulson waiting near the landing platform. They landed, and she thanked the pilot and exited the quinjet.

     Coulson led her inside. She looked around the concourse, which was so huge, it made Tony's mansion look like a hobbit hole. Though there were no windows, it somehow still felt light and open. The bustle of agents running from place to place, barely stopping to greet others, reminded Maddi of Columbus on the day of a Buckeyes game. Computer desks filled parts of the area, while mostly empty lounges took up other spaces. She heard loud chatter and the clacks and squeaks of shoes hitting epoxy floors as people hurried from hallway to hallway. He crowd was a mess of black and navy jumpsuits, with a few people in office clothes here and there. Some people held cups of coffee, while others carried important looking files. Some even had guns and tazers strapped to their hips.

     Cousin smiled as he watched Maddi look around, her eyes wide and her mouth hanging open in a look of childlike wonder. Her eyes just couldn't seem to take enough in at once, her head darting back and forth, up and down.

     He led Maddi down one of the numerous hallways. When they reached a metal door, Coulson stopped suddenly, and Maddi almost bumped into him.

     "I bet," said Coulson, talking more to himself than to Maddi, "he's hiding out in here."

     "Who?" Maddi asked, her curiosity peaking. Coulson didn't answer, just opened the door and stepped inside.

     They entered a gym. The only other person in the room was a man hitting a punching bag.

     "Good morning, Agent Barton," Coulson called out. The man looked away from his punching bag.

     "Hey, Coulson!" said Barton, before looking at Maddi. "Who's this?"

     "This is Madeline Gartin. She's the new agent you're supervising," Coulson explained, "Maddi, this is Clint Barton. He's your new supervising officer." Maddi waved.

     Barton raised his eyebrows. " _This_ is Gartin? I was expecting someone a little... older." He turned to Maddi. "No offense."

     "None taken," Maddi replied.

     Clint pressed his mouth into a hard line as his eyes scanned Maddi, sizing her up. Maddi felt exposed and uncomfortable. It was one of those moments were she had no idea what do do with her hands, or how to stand, or where to look.

     "Agent Coulson, can I talk to you alone for a minute?" Barton asked. Instead of letting Coulson answer, Barton dragged him into the hallway and shut the door behind him. Maddi pressed her ear up to the door.

     "She's a _kid,_ " Barton's muffled voice said, "She shouldn't be here."

     "I understand your concerns, Barton, but trust me, this is for the best. She has powers that she needs to learn to control, and there's nowhere she can do that except here," Coulson replied patiently.

     "Don't you have a ton of facilities for, uh, _gifted_ people?"

      _There are others like me?_  Maddi thought.

     "Yes, but those people are dangerous."

     "From what I've been told, _she's_ dangerous."

     "Yes, she is, but those people in the facilities are criminals that are willing to use their gifts for harm. Maddi is a good kid."

     A couple seconds of silence, then, "I still don't think this is a good idea."

     "She's could be a valuable asset, especially with the training she's already received. And besides," Coulson said, "she needs to learn to defend herself. There are people out there who could and will try to use her powers for evil."


	9. First Day

     Maddi stepped away from the door, a million questions running through her mind. Who were the others like her? Why did they all become criminals? Was she destined to be one too? Why would people want to use her? The door opened, and the two agents stepped inside.

     "Maddi," Coulson said, "Agent Barton's going to take it from here. I'll be in my office if either of you need me. Good luck." With that, he left the gym.

     Clint turned to Maddi, who stood with her legs shoulder length apart, her back straight, and her arms behind her back- a position she'd had to hold so often in the old days, it became habit.

     Clint smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Alright, today I'm just going to walk you around the facility, show you the ropes and all that. If you have any questions, just ask. By the way, you don't need to call me 'Agent Barton.' You can just call me Clint."

     Maddi nodded. Clint left the room and Maddi followed behind. "So, you've already seen the gym, which is where you're going to do most of your training.

     "Down the hall here is the girls' locker room." Clint led Maddi into the room. Inside, the walls were covered with (surprise!) lockers. Each metal locker was roughly a foot wide and about half as tall as the wall, one on top and one on bottom. Past another door, Maddi heard showers running.

     "Good thing it's empty. I'm not really supposed to be in here. I don't know which lockers are vacant right now, but I'll make sure to ask. Anyway, moving on."

     Clint showed her the science labs, the shooting range ("we'll work here later."), the kitchen, the lounges, the hangar, and several other places. He explained that most of the offices were on other floors, and that eventually Maddi would get her own desk, mainly for filing reports after a mission.

     "Any questions?" Clint asked once they completed the tour. They managed to finish before lunch, which was sooner than Clint had expected. They now sat in a lounge, eating sandwiches and bags of chips.

 _Too many to count_ , Maddi thought. But instead, she said, "Yeah, I heard a couple people mention something about 'clearance levels.' What does that mean?"

     "Each agent is at a certain clearance level, one through ten, which determines the amount of classified information they're allowed to have access to. It's also connected their position here, usually. Since you just started, you're a level one." Clint explained.

     "Okay, so what does that mean for me?"

     "It means that you have the least access to classified information. They'll probably have your ID card ready by tomorrow. You scan that when you need to enter certain rooms so the machine can tell whether you are allowed clearance or not."

     "I'm guessing I don't have clearance to a lot of places?" Maddi asked.

     "No, not at the moment. But as you get more experience, your level will go up, and you'll be allowed to access more stuff."

     "I guess that makes sense. They don't want inexperienced agents to know because they're more likely to spill secrets, right?"

     "Exactly."

* * *

     Maddi and Clint finished their lunches, then headed back to the gym.

     "I know I said that I would just be explaining things today, but since we finished ahead of schedule, we can start your training early."

     Clint looked inside Maddi's file, muttering to himself, "Weight: One-fifteen; height: five-two..."

     He closed the file and looked at Maddi. "Okay, so, first we're gonna run a few physical tests. I want to get a feel for your strength, speed, fighting style, all that stuff.

     "First, I'm gonna have you do some pull ups." He led Maddi over to the bar and signalled for her to start. She tried to jump up, but it was too high for her to reach. Cling lifted her up with a slight chuckle. She strained to pull her body to the top of the bar while Clint wrote something inside her file. In the end she only managed two pull ups.

     "I'm not very good at those," Maddi said as she dropped to the ground.

     "It's pretty hard for a lot of people," Clint commented, "but if that pattern continues, we've got a long way to go before you're ready for missions."

     Clint tested everything from her strength to her flexibility to her reflexes. The only thing he didn't test was her fighting skills, which he said they would get to tomorrow.

     Maddi's work day ended at five o'clock, at which point she said goodbye to Clint and met Coulson outside of the gym so he could take her to the quinjet.

     When she arrived home, she found Tony in his workshop.

     "Hey kid," he said, looking up from whatever he was working on, "How was your first day?"

     "Exhausting. Clint Barton, my S.O., finished showing me around early, so we had time to start training. He had me do all kinds of physical tests because it would give him a better idea of the best way to train me. And we haven't even gotten to the fighting part yet."

     "Sounds rough. But we've got a party tonight, so I hope you're not _too_ tired."

     "What kind of party?"

     "It's a black tie charity dinner on a yacht."

     "Wow, the was the most 'rich person' sentence I've ever heard. Will there be anyone my age there?"

     "I think Rhodey’s niece might be there," he replied absentmindedly, already focused on his project again.

     “Cool,” Maddi said. She went upstairs to pick out a dress.


	10. Yacht

     Maddi, Tony, Delilah, and Pepper sat at a table on a yacht, eating expensive steaks, and listening to live music.

     "You know, they could have just donated all the money they spent on this event to Action Against Hunger." Delilah whispered to Maddi. "Kind of ironic."

     "I know, right? 'Hey, let's buy a yacht, expensive dinners, and hire people to serve and entertain us. Now, where are we going to get that donation money?'" Maddi and Delilah giggled.

     "What are you two whispering about?" Tony asked from across the table.

     "Nothing," Maddi said through her laughter.

* * *

 

     Half an hour later, Maddi and Delilah sat at the table with their cheeks in their hands and their elbows on the table, scrolling through Facebook until one of them found a post worth sharing.

     "You know," Tony said after finishing a conversation with yet another business tycoon, "the dance floor's open. You don't have to sit there like bums."

     "Hmm?" Delilah asked, looking up from her phone.

     "Go dance," Tony ordered.

     The girls went down to the dance floor, but after a couple minutes, Delilah got an idea. She leaned close to Maddi and said, "We should explore the ship."

     Maddi grinned and nodded. Delilah grabbed her hand and led her to a door with a handwritten sign that said "CREW ONLY." She looked around to make sure nobody was watching them, then quietly opened the door, and both girls slipped inside and closed the door behind them.

     They were at the top of a flight of stairs that led down to the lower decks. Delilah slipped off her heels and began to walk down, and Maddi followed suit. They were careful not to make a sound, in case of nearby crew members, and Maddi got an adrenaline rush that was part excitement at doing something adventurous and unallowed and part nervousness at the prospect of getting caught.

     She hadn't felt this way for a long time.

     At the bottom of the stairs was another door, and behind that was a long hallway with several more doors leading to other rooms.  They went through each one, and with each new door, both girls feared someone might be inside. They found a few bedrooms, an office, and a lounge.

      While digging through some office drawers, the girls found an old letter from 1940. Delilah couldn't read it; it was written in Russian. She gave the letter to Maddi to read out loud.

     " _Klara , ya ne volnuyet_ -"

     "English," Delilah reminded her.

     "Right, sorry. The letter says 'Klara, I do not care what your father says. We are meant to be. I will wait for you in the garden, under the rose bush in three days from midnight until dawn. From there, we will start our new life in Moscow. I will give you the world. I promise. All my love, Svetozar.'" Maddi finished reading, suddenly feeling like she was intruding.

     Maddi looked at Delilah to see if she had a similar feeling, but her expression was unreadable. "Maybe we should put that back," Delilah suggested.

     "Right," Maddi said, sliding the letter back into its envelope before putting it in the drawer.

     The uncomfortable moment didn't stop the two from further exploring. They found a small personal kitchen a couple rooms down with a balcony just outside.

     They went out to the balcony and sat down on the hardwood floor. Maddi looked out over the edge. "Woah."

     They were on the second to lowest floor, but they were still pretty high up. Twenty feet below, the wake of the ship disturbed the water under them, which was dark enough that Maddi could imagine it to be miles deep. The thought creeped her out.

     "You okay?" Delilah asked.

     "Yeah. It's just... the height... and the dark water... kinda freaky..." she trailed off.

     "Okay, but look at that," Jay pointed to a city skyline on the shore. "It's beautiful."

     It really was. Multi-colored lights shone in the distance, and created a glow around the city, like a force field. The two sat quietly, staring at the view for several minutes.

     Maddi looked over at Delilah, who was staring at the lights, and felt a tug in her heart, the kind that she hadn't felt for anyone in a long time. _Oh no_ , she thought.

     It was Delilah who first broke the silence. "We should get back. Tony and Pepper'll start to wonder where we are."

     The moment had been so perfect, so sweet, that Maddi didn't want to move, but she reluctantly stood up and said, "Yeah."

     They started to head back to the stairs, but they didn't get very far down the hall before they heard footsteps. Maddi had just enough time to think,  _Shit_ , before Delilah grabbed her wrist and dragged her into an office and under a desk.

     It was only one set of footsteps, and the man that they were attached to seemed to be talking on the phone. "I don't care what Volkov says. I need Bukin to retrieve it. It is far too powerful to be allowed out of captivity. No, I can't use its name, dumbass! You never know who might be listening."

     The footsteps trailed away, and Maddi looked over at Delilah and made a gesture to signal leaving. Delilah nodded a confirmation.

     Making their way back up the stairs, they were quieter than before, and Delilah peeked her head out to make sure nobody would spot them, but it was unnecessary, because everyone was too caught up in the party to notice. They quickly went through the door then shut it behind them.

     Tony spotted them just as they made their way back to the dance floor. He waved them over to the table. "There you two are! I couldn't find you anywhere!"

     "We've been on the dance floor," Delilah lied. Maddi wasn't a bad liar herself, but she had a tendency to giggle when she knew a friend was lying. This time, though, she managed to keep it to a polite smile.

     "I didn't see you out there. Anyway," he said, changing the subject, "we're going to the top deck to watch the fireworks."

     As beautiful as the fireworks were, as good as it felt to have her friend standing next to her, she couldn't get that phone conversation out of her mind.


	11. Pictures

     "Are we gonna talk about the elephant in the room?" Delilah asked the second she closed Maddi's bedroom door.

     "What do you mean?" Maddi asked, knowing exactly what she meant.

     "The guy on the phone. What he said. 'It's far too powerful to be allowed out of captivity.' Any idea what that might be about?" Delilah sounded more curious than worried, like she was discussing theories for the next episode of a tv show.

     "No," Maddi said, staring at the ground.

     "Really? Because I think you do know."

     Maddi sighed. "I don't _know_. Not for sure anyway. But... I think it might be about... me."

     "What?"

     "It makes sense. 'Too powerful to be allowed out of captivity'? You've seen what I can do."

     "But the guy on the phone said 'it'."

     "Yeah. They used to call me that. To them, I was a weapon, not a person."

     "But... that would mean people are trying to kidnap you."

     "Yeah."

     "But why go to the trouble, especially with all the security around you?"

     Maddi looked up. "Huh?"

     "You have a ton of protection. A big mansion with what I'm assuming has alarm systems. Publicity, because it makes it harder to make you disappear when everyone has eyes on you. I'm guessing you're under some sort of government watch. Also, you live with _freaking Iron Man_. You think that's not to keep you safe?"

     "Huh," Maddi repeated. Now that she thought about it, it made a lot of sense.

     "Anyway, if they are trying to kidnap you, they'll have a lot of trouble doing it. We shouldn't worry about it tonight." Delilah took her pajamas out of her bag and went into Maddi's bathroom.

* * *

     "Go again," Clint told Maddi, who was laying flat on the ground, winded from the last round of sparring.

     "I can't," Maddi said between breaths, "I can't do it."

     "You want to be in the field, you have to learn to fight. Again."

     "I just need a minute."

     "You think enemies in the field will care when you're out of breath? This isn't just about learning the moves. It's about building your stamina. Pushing you past your limits. You can take a break when you get it right."

      _You can take a break when you get it right_. Those words sent her to another training room, where there were no breaks, no matter how many times they said it.

     Then they sent her back even further, to another time, years ago, when she was nine years old. She wasn't fighting this time; she was learning the moves to a cheer. _You can play with the other kids when you get it right_. When she finally did get it right, she was told to do it again to make sure it wasn't an accident. Then again. And again.

     And then, just a couple years before that, she was trying to hit softballs, but just couldn't make contact. _You can be done when you hit five in a row_. She couldn't even hit two in a row, and her arms hurt.

     She squeezed her eyes shut, as if this would push the memories from her head like toothpaste from a tube.

     She stood up and started toward the door. "I- I'm sorry, Clint. I can't do it. I'm sorry."

     Maddi walked out the door and down the hall, not caring that she left her things behind. She just walked. She kept walking until the alarm on her phone rang, signaling that it was time to go home.

     The whole way home she stayed silent, staring out the window. When she got back home, she didn't even say hello to Tony. She just went straight for her room and sat in her old corner beside her dresser. It couldn't have been ten minutes before she heard Tony come upstairs.

     "No, you didn't do anything wrong. She's just having a hard time adjusting. She needs a little space sometimes." A pause. "I guess it just got to her. There's been so much change for her recently, it was going to happen sooner or later. It's not your fault." Another pause. "I'll talk to her."

     Maddi heard the door open, and she shrunk back into her corner, making herself as small as possible. Tony walked over to Maddi and sat down.

     "Maddi," Tony began. He put a hand on her shoulder, and suddenly, Maddi was somewhere else. A different hand gripped her much tighter, much angrier. She yanked her arm away.

     "Maddi," he repeated, "I know what you're going through right now. I was held hostage by a terrorist group in Afganistan for three months. It's a traumatic thing to have to go through. But I promise you, you _will_ get past this. You're a strong girl, and you have support from everyone around you."

     "I just want something good to come out of this," Maddi whispered. It was the first time she'd spoken in several hours. "Use what they did to me to help people."

     "You will. That's why you're with S.H.I.E.L.D. Once you learn-"

     Her head snapped up. "I can't do it. I can't learn. And anyway, I know that's not the real reason I'm there."

     "What?"

     Maddi stared at the ground, and she pulled at a loose piece of yarn in the carpet. "They want me there because they don't think I can control my fire. I overheard Clint and Coulson talking about it on my first day."

     Tony shifted in his seat. "Yes, they do need to monitor how well you control your abilities, but that's not the only reason they want you there."

     "Yeah, they also want me there because I could be useful to them."

     "They offered you the job because they think you can help people. Isn't that what you wanted in the first place?"

     Maddi nodded.

     "That's what they want, too, but you have to learn how to do it right. Barton is there to teach you. Trust what he says."

     "It's kinda hard for me to trust anyone right now."

     "I know it is, but you have to at least try, okay?"

     When Maddi didn't answer, Tony said, "I'll be right back." Then he stood and left the room.

     Five minutes later, and Tony returned with three photos in his hands and sat down. Tony set the first one in front of Maddi. "Do you recognize this picture?"

     Maddi looked at the photo. It was her, but not a recent picture. Her smile showed off the bands in her braces, and she had her hair cut in a bob style. She was pale, but not unhealthy. She leaned over into the picture, Tangled poster style. Her friends Ash and Jacob stood next to her. Maddi remembered the day that picture was taken. "That was at a school football game at the beginning of the year. What about it?"

     "Compare it to the next one," Tony said as he tossed another picture. Maddi barely recognized herself in this one. She was too skinny. She didn't smile, but her mouth hung open just enough to show that her braces were gone. What little color her face normally held had disappeared. Her lips were cracked, and her eyes showed no emotion. Her hair was longer, but messy and dirty. Scrapes and bruises covered her skin. Her eye color resembled the gray of the rags she wore.

     "This is from when S.H.I.E.L.D. first rescued me."

     Tony nodded. "Now look at this one." The last photo was from her birthday party, when she opened her gifts. She was still a bit too skinny, but the light had returned to her eyes. Her hair was messy, not from neglect, but because she'd been moving and dancing all night. "What do these pictures say about you?"

     Maddi shrugged. "I don't know."

     "They tell me just how strong you are. As hard as it is, you overcame this." Tony pointed to the second picture.

     "No, I didn't. I still have nightmares, and-"

     "That can happen when you go through something traumatic. It doesn't mean that you haven't made progress."

     Maddi just nodded and continued picking at the carpet.

* * *

      Several days passed, and Maddi got used to working with Clint. So when she walked into the gym a week later, she was suprised to see Agent Romanoff beating up a punching bag with Clint nowhere in sight.

     "Morning," Maddi said, "Where's Clint?"

     Romanoff stopped attacking the punching bag and turned to face Maddi. "Good morning, Agent Gartin. Clint's been assigned to a mission, so he's going to be away for a while. I'm temporarily stepping in as your supervising officer."

     "Wait- Clint's on a mission? Where? What's he doing?"

     The corners of Romanoff's mouth twitched, like she'd been reminded of an inside joke. "That's classified."

     "How long is he gonna be gone?"

     "As long as it takes to complete the mission."

     "So, how come you're taking over?"

     "You ask a lot of questions, don't you?" Romanoff stepped onto the floor mat used for fighting. "Ready to get started?"


	12. Romanoff

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good news! I'm getting an editor for this story soon, so my shitty writing can be slightly less shitty!! I hope you all hate it a little less!

     "Being in actual combat is very different from training with me or Clint. You have to know how to use your environment, how to exploit your enemies weaknesses. You need to learn how to _think_  in a fight."

     Maddi recognized the words from another time, another place, another language. "So how do I do that?"

     Natasha gave an amused smile and said, " _Ty dolzhen byl skazat' mne, chto vy govorite po-russki_." _You should have told me you speak Russian_.

     "Sorry," Maddi said, "Sometimes I switch without noticing."

     "That's something you'll have to get under control, especially if you expect to ever go undercover."

     Maddi's eyes lit up like it was Christmas morning. "Undercover?"

     Romanoff nodded. "Yes, some of our agents go undercover on missions. That could eventually become a part of your job."

     "Real-" Agent Romanoff lunged just as Maddi started her sentence. She pinned Maddi to the ground in one swift movement.

     "Constant vigilance," Romanoff said as she stood up, "That's one of the most important rules for a field agent."

     "Constant vigilance," Maddi echoed, pushing herself off the ground, "Got it."

     "Good. Now it's time to show you the fun stuff."

* * *

      Romanoff moved like a cat. That was one of the first things Maddi noticed. Agile. Flexible. Poised. Powerful. Dangerous.

     She taught Maddi some of the techniques, but Maddi just wasn't as quick or graceful. Also, she tended to fall on her face.

     "You know," Romanoff said, "when I was first learning combat, I was also a ballerina. You're a dancer right?"

     "Yeah. What's that got to do with this?"

     Instead of answering, Romanoff asked, "What kind of dance moves are you learning?"

     "I'm still a beginner, so I'm mostly learning the gymnastic-" Suddenly, it clicked. "Oh."

     Romanoff smiled. "Get it?"

     "Yeah, I think so."

     "Alright." Romanoff backed up to the other side of the mat. "Let's try it, then. I'm going to try to pin you. I'll go easy on you, but you need to knock me to the ground before I do that. Think you can handle it?"

     "Yeah. I'm ready when you are." Maddi kept her eyes locked on Romanoff.

     Romanoff lunged forward, and Maddi jumped to the side. Fighting with Romanoff was much different then in Podzemka. While training in Podzemka, Maddi gathered all her anger at her handlers, and unleashed it on the _aktiv_. Romanoff, or Clint for that matter, had never hurt her, not really, and it felt almost... _wrong_ to attack them.

     But still, she had to do what she had to do. Maddi twisted sideways and high kicked, hitting Romanoff on the side of the head. It was enough to make her stumble, but not forceful enough to knock her to the ground. Maddi took the opportunity to kick again. This time, she struck Romanoff in the face, and Romanoff fell on her butt.

     Maddi allowed herself a quick smug smile before she went to help Romanoff stand. Then she noticed the blood trickling from the agent's nose.

     "Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to-"

     Romanoff held up one hand, the other pinching her nose. "It's okay. Things like this happen. You did good."

     "I- I did?" Maddi stuttered.

     "Yeah, you did. I'm actually surprised at how quickly you took me down. I guess I'll have to take it a little harder on you next time, huh?" Romanoff stood up and walked over to where a box of tissues sat on a table.

     "Thank you," Maddi said quietly.

     "You're welcome. I think we're going to be done with physical training today, for obvious reasons. We should go over strategy."

     "You never answered my question from earlier," Maddi noted.

     "What's that?"

     "I asked you what you meant by 'how to think in a fight'. You never answered."

     "What I mean is, when you're in actual combat, your opponent won't tell you what they intend to do. You have to look at their posture. Watch where their eyes go. Notice their body type and how it can play into their fighting style. Smaller people tend to be quicker. Muscular people tend to be more forceful. You need to see all of this before they ever make a move.

     "You also need to look at your surroundings. Ask yourself what you can use against them. Look for makeshift weapons. Any of this can mean the difference between victory and defeat."

     Again, those words sounded so familiar, though the first time she'd heard them, they'd been from a deeper voice, and in Russian. Maddi began to wonder if Romanoff had some kind of connection to Podzemka.

 _If there is a connection_ , Maddi thought, _I'll find out about it_.


	13. Files

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My co-author/editor finally got an account, so I was finally able to add her on!
> 
> Also this chapter is short af. The next one will be longer though!

Maddi said goodbye to Romanoff and left the gym. But rather than turning left, as she normally did to get to the quinjet, she went left, down a long hallway that she remembered from her tour. She frequently glanced behind her to make sure she was not being followed. If anyone caught her, she would probably be in a metric fuck ton of trouble.

     She walked until she found the room she was looking for. The word "FILES" was printed on the gray door, and, lucky for her, some careless agent had left it open. Maddi looked around the room to make sure it was empty, and quickly walked in. She found the "R" file cabinet and opened it, wincing as it creaked.

     She fingered through the files, muttering, "Rogan, Rogers, Rogers again..."

     Then she found the file she was looking for: _ROMANOFF, NATASHA_. Maddi pulled the file out, shoved it in her bag, closed the drawer, and speed walked down the hallway, glancing behind her.

     She made it to the quinjet, only ten minutes after her usual parting time.

     "You're late today," the pilot noted.

     "Yeah, training ran a bit longer than usual. Sorry," Maddi said as she fastened herself in.

     Maddi didn't like lying to the pilot, but she had no other choice. She couldn't exactly say, "Yeah, I just snuck around the building to steal a file because I don't trust my temporary supervising officer. Sorry about that."

     The pilot just shrugged and turned back to his controls.

* * *

      Maddi had the weekend off, so she was able to hang out at home all day and read stolen files.

     The first page of the file contained basic information like Natasha Romanoff's height and weight. She was born in Russia, which explained why she knew the language.

    The next page was written in paragraphs rather than listed out. It made it a little harder for Maddi to follow, because her ADHD brain liked to see her suffer, but Maddi pushed through. After the first couple paragraphs, though, she was completely engrossed in the file.

     The things that Natasha Romanoff had done...

      _Knock knock_. From outside her  room, Tony's voice said, "Can I come in?"

     Maddi quickly shoved the files under her bed and grabbed her laptop from the bedside table. "Yeah, come in."

     Tony opened the door. "Dinner's ready."

     "Okay, just give me a minute," Maddi said, closing the laptop and resolving to come back to the file.


	14. Sleepover

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! Finally finished the last chapter!  
> Keep in mind that I post the first draft immediately, so I sometimes go back and make changes, by the way. That said, I changed Jay's name to Delilah because I think it fits better.  
> I also went through and added a few details. Sorry if that causes any confusion! Enjoy!

     "Wait, so your dad actually ended up breaking the ceiling because he was too embarrassed to call for help?" Delilah asked, laughing.

     "Yeah, he did." Maddi's eyes watered from laughing so hard.

     "One time, when my dad was working at Burger King, he accidentally locked himself in the freezer. He had to bang on the door for ten minutes straight before the manager let him out."

     "Oh, jeez."

     "What time is it?" Delilah asked.

     Maddi checked her phone. "It's one AM."

     "Tony told us to go to bed like two hours ago."

     The girls looked at each other, then burst into laughter. Maddi felt that tug on her heart again.

      _Dammit, Maddi_ , she scolded herself, _Del doesn't like you like that_.

     Even though they had only met a month ago, Maddi felt like she had known Delilah her whole life.

     Delilah scooted closer to Maddi, causing Maddi's heart to start racing. "Let's play twenty questions."

     "Like the guessing kind or the get-to-know-you kind?"

     "The get to know you kind."

     "Okay," Maddi replied, "What's your favorite candy?"

     "Licorice. What kind of pop do you like best?"

     "Pepsi." Maddi thought for a second. "Do you have any weird traditions?"

     "Traditions?" Delilah asked.

     "Yeah, like... anytime I'm outside at night, I like to look at the stars and find the Big Dipper. Do you do anything like that?"

     "See this bracelet?" Delilah held up her hand to show Maddi a silver charm bracelet with a cursive letter "D" lined with Amethyst gemstones. "I've had it since I was seven. I never take it off. Whenever I need good luck, I rub the charm. I know it's weird."

     Maddi switched her position so that she was sitting on her knees, facing Delilah."No, I actually think that's pretty cool."

     Delilah smiled, and Maddi couldn't help but smile, too.

     "So it's my turn to ask a question?" Delilah asked.

     "Yep."

     Delilah thought for a minute before saying, "Who was your first kiss with?"

     "This guy I was dating in Ohio, just this past year. We were outside the movie theater waiting for his dad, then he just leaned down and kissed me."

     "How was it?"

     Maddi shrugged. "Kind of a letdown. It wasn't, like, a real kiss. He just pecked me on the lips."

     "So have you ever had a real kiss?"

     By this point, the two girls' faces were so close that Maddi could see small flecks of topaz brown in Delilah's chocolate eyes.

     "No. Not yet."

     "How come?" Delilah murmured.

     "I don't know. I guess I wasn't ready yet."

     "Do you think you're ready now?" Delilah's lips were just inches from Maddi's.

     Maddi let out a little laugh through her nose. "After everything, how could a kiss scare me?"

     "Good point."

     Then Delilah pressed her lips against Maddi's. Maddi's eyes widened in surprise as she realized what was happening. Then, as she got over her initial shock, she closed her eyes and leaned into it, aware of every detail of both of their bodies.

     Delilah's soft lips tasted like popcorn and Mountain Dew. Maddi put her arms around Delilah's neck. Delilah placed her hand on the back of Maddi's head to pull her closer. She began running her fingers through Maddi's hair. Maddi followed her example. The girls' foreheads bumped from time to time, and their noses brushed against each other. Their tongues took turns chasing the other around, like children playing a game of tag.

     Too soon, Delilah pulled away. She pressed her forehead against Maddi's and put both hands on the back of Maddi's head. "How was that for a first real kiss?"

     "Wow," Maddi whispered. She felt stupid saying only that, but it was all she could manage.

     Delilah laughed softly. "That good?"

     Maddi nodded. They sat with their foreheads pressed together, staring into each other's eyes. Maddi didn't want this moment to end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter playlist:  
> "Sleepover"- Hayley Kiyoko


	15. Shopping

     The next morning, Maddi couldn't keep from smiling.

     "What are you so happy about?" Tony asked when Maddi skipped into the kitchen.

     "Yeah, Mads, why are you so cheerful this morning?" Delilah teased.

     Maddi shot Delilah a warning look before busying herself with the waffle maker. She shrugged for Tony's benefit. "I don't know. Just am."

     "Hey, Tony," Delilah said, "Is it okay if Maddi and I go out for a while today?"

     "Where do you want to go?" Tony asked.

     "I don't know." Delilah said.

     "Shopping?" Maddi suggested.

     Tony pursed his lips. "Pepper and I both have a lot of work to do today, so will you be okay if Happy takes you?"

     "Yeah, that'll be alright," Maddi said. It would be perfect, actually, because it would give her and Delilah a chance to talk.

* * *

 

     Two hours later, they arrived at the huge local mall. They went into Rue 21, and Happy decided to wait outside on a bench.

     After a few minutes of flipping through clothes, Maddi said, "Should we- should we talk about... you know... us?"

     "Do you want there to be an us?" Delilah asked, looking up from the rack. Her eyes bored into Maddi.

     "Do you?" Maddi replied.

     Something flashed behind Delilah's eyes, and she looked down. "I- I don't think we should."

     Maddi knit her eyebrows. "How come?"

     "It's just... not a good idea." Her shoulders slumped.

     "So that kiss was a one time thing?"

     "Not... necessarily," Delilah said.

     That last statement was probably meant to make Maddi feel better, but it only confused her more.

* * *

 

     They finished shopping around dinner time. By then, the sunny day had turned into a storm. They braced themselves for the rain, grabbed hands, and ran for the car, which didn't do much for them since Happy had the keys and was way behind them. For a moment, Maddi forgot about their talk earlier.

     Delilah's eyes lit up like she had an idea. "Hey!" she shouted over the rain, "you know in the movies when the couple kisses in the rain and it's really romantic?"

     Maddi caught on. She peeked around the back of the car to make sure that Happy was a safe distance away, then she turned back and kissed Delilah.

     The kiss was even better than the one the night before. Maddi ran her hands through Delilah's wet curls. The water soaked into their clothes, making them cling to their bodies, but Maddi didn't care.

     Then Delilah pulled away, looking like a deer in headlights. Maddi turned around to see what she was staring at.

     Happy was standing behind them, looking almost as shocked as Delilah.


	16. Coming Out

     "Don't tell Tony." It was the only thing Maddi could think to say.

     "Get in the car," Happy said, with the same shocked expression. Maddi was reluctant to get in, but it was still storming out, so she had no other choice.

     "So much for keeping it a secret," Delilah muttered as she climbed in the back seat.

* * *

      The car was uncomfortably silent, until Delilah couldn't take it anymore. "Please don't tell Tony or Pepper," she pleaded. "I never should've... if we get in trouble-"

     "I'm not going to tell them," Happy said.

     "Thank you so much," Delilah said, and Maddi breathed a sigh of relief.

     "I won't tell them," Happy continued, "and it's totally up to you whether you say anything or not. But I think you should know that they'd be okay with it."

     "Really?" Maddi asked.

     "Yeah, of course. They might need time to adjust, but I can guarantee that they won't be upset."

     "Promise?" Maddi asked.

     "Promise," Happy replied.

* * *

      The girls didn't have time to talk about whether they should tell Tony or not, because Happy had to drop Delilah off, so Maddi waited until she was gone to text her about it. Delilah said that she was fine with it as long as Maddi was ready.

      _I'm going to come out to Tony. I want to tell him about us. Is that ok with you?_

     Delilah answered quickly. _I'm already out to my parents. Do what you need to. You have my support._

     Maddi smiled as she typed her reply. _Thanks Del._

     Maddi sat back in her seat and prepared herself for what she was about to do.

* * *

 

     Her stomach churned as she walked into the door. She'd mentally rehearsed a speech the whole way home. There was no putting it off. As if on cue, Tony came upstairs from his workshop.

     "Hey," Tony said, "How was shopping?"

     "It was fun. Del and I got some cool stuff." Maddi tried for a smile, but it was too forced.

     "Are you okay?" Tony asked, "You look upset."

     "Yeah, actually there's something I need to tell you. Maybe you should sit down."

     "Alright." Tony sat down on the couch, looking concerned. Maddi sat next to him.

     Maddi stared at the floor as she spoke. "I'm not really sure how to say this."

     "Mads? What's going on? You're scaring me."

     "The thing is..." Maddi sucked in a deep breath before continuing. "I like girls. Romantically. And boys. And other genders. I'm bisexual. And Delilah and I kind of... kissed a couple times."

     She looked up. Tony looked surprised, but not angry. "Oh," was all he said.

     "Happy said that you might need some time to get used to it."

     Tony shook his head and his expression changed to one of reassurance. "No, that's perfectly okay. I'm glad you trust me enough to tell me that. I'm sure it can be scary."

     "Yeah, it can be. You can never tell how someone'll react."

     "Do your parents know?" Tony asked.

     "Yeah, but they didn't take it as well as you did." Maddi's eyes started to tear up. "They yelled at me for like two hours. They said that I wasn't 'mature enough to make that decision' and they wanted to know who influenced me to think that. I know they just want what's best for me, but..."

     Tony wrapped her in a hug, the first time he'd ever done so. "I'm sorry. No parent should act that way."

     "It's okay. They eventually came around." she paused. "Well, more like they said that there's nothing they can do to change it so they're not going to try."

     "I'm sorry your parents reacted the way they did."

     "It doesn't really matter anymore. Now I'm somewhere where I can openly be myself."


	17. A Note and a Bracelet

     "As you can see, project Phoenix is going exactly according to plan," the doctor who oversaw Maddi's experimental torture said to the other men in Russian.

     One of the unfamiliar men- an older white man in a suit- studied Maddi, who stood perfectly still, expressionless, hands behind her back, legs shoulder width apart. Not a person, but a weapon.

     " _Pokazhite mne ogon'_ ," he commanded. _Show me the fire_.

     Maddi held her hand forward, palm up, and willed the flame into her hand.

     The old man turned back to the handler. "Congratulations, Doctor. But is she ready for combat?"

     "She is still a long way from ready. She is... stubborn. Stuck in her ways. Don't worry. We will whip her into shape, my friend."

     "I know you will." The men that Maddi didn't know turned to leave. The one that spoke with the doctor stopped at the door. "By the way," he said, "do not confuse 'business partner' with 'friend."

     He slammed the door behind him.

* * *

 

     When Maddi woke up, it was still dark out. She sat up in bed. "Jarvis?" she said, just loud enough for the AI to hear her.

     "Yes, Miss Gartin?" Jarvis replied.

     "What time is it?"

     "It is two thirty-seven in the morning, ma'am."

     "Thanks, Jarvis," Maddi said. "I'm going back to bed. Goodnight."

     "You're welcome. Goodnight."

     Maddi rolled over to face the window. Then she noticed something sitting on her dresser that hadn't been there before.

     She sat up to get a better look at it. It was a charm bracelet with a letter "D" that she recognized as Delilah's. Under it was a piece of paper with writing on it. She picked up the paper. It said:

      _Podzemka. Skala Park, Balakhna, Russia. The entrance is near the bridge. Don't bring anyone. Come get your girlfriend._

     A chill went down Maddi's spine. Ignoring the fact that one of them had been in her room while she was asleep, there were still so many things wrong here. They had Delilah. They wanted her to come all the way to Russia. She had to go straight to them.

     Maddi got dressed and packed a backpack. Money. Passport. Birth certificate. Her S.H.I.E.L.D. uniform. A coat. Sunglasses and a hat to avoid recognition. The note for directions. Her pocket knife, the only weapon she had on hand.

     She knew it was a trap, but what else could she do? She couldn't get Tony or anyone at S.H.I.E.L.D. They wanted her to go alone. If she came with other people, they could hurt Delilah. If she didn't come at all, they could hurt Delilah. She had no other options.

     Maddi wrote the directions on a different piece of paper. She needed to know where to go, but she couldn't stand to read that last sentence again.

     She scrawled a note for Tony and Pepper and left it on her nightstand.

      _Delilah is being held at Podzemka. I need to go alone. I'm so sorry. Thanks for everything._

     She took one last look around her beautiful room, then she climbed out the window.


	18. Airplane

     The walk to civilization would be about an hour and a half, if Maddi hauled ass. The cab ride to LAX would be just over an hour, if traffic was light. The flight to Moscow could be anywhere from 12 to 22 hours. Then, she would need to take a cab ride to Skala Park in Balakhna, which would take roughly another six hours, according to Google Maps. She figured that put her at 21 hours, if she was lucky enough to get a quick flight. That wasn't even counting the time spent at the airport going through security or waiting to board the plane.

     A whole day before she could be anywhere close to saving Delilah. At least it gave Maddi time to come up with a plan. Unfortunately, she realized pretty early on that she had nothing.

     Tony didn't even know that she had left yet. All she had was a pocket knife and some homemade fire that couldn't even go past her elbows. And she doubted that the knife would get past airport security.

     Yep, she was totally boned.

     As expected, she had to leave the pocket knife with airport security. One of the security guards, a tired looking woman in her thirties, pulled her aside when they scanned her bag. "Did you know that you're not allowed to bring knives in your carry on?" she asked.

     Maddi raised her eyebrows. "No, I didn't. I'm sorry, ma'am."

     "Why did you bring a knife in the first place?"

     "I bring it everywhere. It's really sentimental. My grandpa gave it to me," Maddi lied.

     "Alright. You'll have to leave this here. I'll keep it safe until you get back," the guard offered.

      _Wish I_ was _going to come back_ , Maddi thought, but instead she just said, "Thank you, ma'am."

     "You're welcome. But I still need to frisk you."

     As the guard patted Maddi down, she asked, "So where are you headed?"

     "Moscow," Maddi said flatly.

     "That's a long way away," the guard noted. "What are you going there for?"

     "Visiting my uncle," Maddi lied.

     The security guard finished the frisking. "What, with no parents?" she asked. Maddi heard the concern in her voice.

     "Yeah, my parents have to work and stuff. It's kind of a vacation for me," she said. Then, just to make it seem a little more believable, "I'm a little nervous though. It's my first time flying alone."

     "I'll ask a flight attendant to keep an eye on you," the guard said with a sympathetic smile.

     "Thanks," Maddi said. "Am I allowed to go to my gate now?"

     "Yep. Have a nice trip."

     "Thanks," Maddi said as she turned to walk away.

     Maddi found her seat on the plane. The pilot made the mandatory safety announcements, but Maddi couldn't concentrate. She was too busy trying to come up with a plan for when she got to Russia.

     Maddi wasn't sure if she'd be able to buy any weapons, because she didn't know the laws in Russia. She could try to buy another pocket knife, but that wouldn't be much help. The best it could do is maybe cut some ropes and slow an attacker a little.

     She had her fire, but it wouldn't be very useful either, considering that attackers would have to get close enough for her to burn. If they had guns, they wouldn't need to come anywhere in range of possible injury. If she got too upset or too happy, though, the fire could increase in power and range, like when a mother's adrenaline lets her lift a car to rescue her baby. This would definitely be an upsetting experience, so maybe the fire could be useful after all.

     The airplane started down the runway. Maddi checked the time on her phone. It was exactly 6 o'clock. Any minute, Tony would go into her room to wake her up and find an empty bed and her note on the bedside table. Thinking about it was like being punched in the gut.

     The plane reached the end of the runway and started its ascent. Maddi watched as she left the United States behind.


	19. Russia

     When Maddi woke up, the plane was flying over a snowy city. She didn't remember falling asleep, but she'd been running on nothing but adrenaline since 2:30 that morning. She needed the rest for the fight that was to come.

     Maddi's stomach twisted in knots, and she felt a wave of both heat and cold run down her body. The adrenaline had worn away, and fear was left in its place.

     Her hands shook during the descent, as she exited the plane, as she exchanged her American dollars for roubles, as she left the airport.

     She distracted herself by weighing her weapon options. There were guns, but Maddi had read that gun laws were strict in Russia, and besides, she wasn't a killer. She could use a taser, but she didn't know where to buy them. A knife would be okay, if she could get close enough to use it. Really, it didn't matter, because she was screwed either way.

     She caught a taxi to a supercenter, and browsed the aisles for about ten minutes before checking out with a pocket knife, a can of pepper spray, and smoke bombs. The cashier gave her a strange look, but didn't say anything. She changed into her uniform in the bathroom on the way out of the store.

     One six hour taxi ride later, she stood on top of the bridge in the middle of Skala Park. Snow and ice covered everything, so the park was completely empty. Unfortunately, it made finding the entrance that much harder.

     It would have to be somewhere that nobody would stumble upon it. Not the playground, then; too many kids. Maybe the cliff? The door would be hard to find there, especially if it was higher up. Probably the most likely place. Maddi walked to the base.

     The cliff was maybe thirty feet high. Not the kind that people would typically climb. Maddi examined the face of the cliff, looking for something that could reveal the location of the door.

     About fifteen feet up, just above a tiny ledge, Maddi saw a crack in the rock that was a little too straight to be natural. That had to be it.

     Maddi wished that she had had some kind of rope, or a grappling hook. Climbing was harder than it looked, even if it was only fifteen feet. But she didn't, so she sucked it up and started climbing.

     She reached the ledge and sat down to catch her breath. Fifteen feet wasn't that high, but with her legs dangling over the edge, looking down gave her a rush of adrenaline.

     When she was breathing normally again, she stood up and pushed open the door.

     The first thing she saw was gray. In fact, that was the only thing she saw. The entire room was made of concrete. Several metal doors lined the walls. Steel stairs led straight down to an open area with a strange chair in the middle.

     She'd seen that chair before, when her handlers walked her down the corridors. She knew its use.

     But why was it in the middle of this room?

     Maddi walked over to the stairs, but she knew that going down them would make noise and probably alert anyone on duty. She threw one leg over the stair railing and slid down as quietly as possible. Something about the chair seemed to be drawing her toward it. Maybe it was just her natural curiosity.

     Her natural, dangerous curiosity.

     She crept closer, reaching out to touch the chair. Just as she put a hand on the arm of it, she heard a familiar voice say, "Put your hands up and turn around slowly."

     She complied, and as she turned, she saw Delilah, who was now holding a gun to her head.


	20. Podzemka

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter probably would have been done sooner, but it required so much research! I spent for freaking ever looking up what it feels like to be shot and electrocuted, and I'm still not sure it's 100 percent accurate, but I did my best. Feel free to let me know if there are any inaccuracies!

     Maddi should have felt something. Fear. Anger. Sadness. Something. But nothing came except confusion. The only thing she could think to say was, "Delilah?"

     "Shut up," Delilah said. Her voice was steady, but her hands shook.

     Delilah's words barely registered. "I don't under-"

     "I said shut up!" She commanded.

     "Now, Miss Rhodes," a silky voice said, "there is no need to yell."

     Maddi looked to her left, where the voice had come from. A man walked out from behind the stairs. He was probably in his early sixties. He had gray hair and wrinkled white skin and he wore an elegant black suit. He strode gracefully to where Delilah stood. Deliliah stiffened. The man looked Maddi up and down, as if she were a trophy he intended to win.

     "Our friend only wants an explanation-"

     "I'm _not_ your friend," Maddi growled.

     "-and then she will comply as needed," the man continued, as if she hadn't spoken at all. "Isn't that right, _Madelina_?"

     She had no choice but to agree, and he knew it. She nodded her head reluctantly.

     "Very good. Miss Rhodes, you may sit down and lower your weapon, but keep it ready to use if needed." Delilah lowered the gun and sat on the bottom stair. "Now, _Madelina_ , I am Arman Volkov. This is an alias, you understand. Can't have people knowing my true identity, but I digress.

     "The reason we brought you here in the first place was because we needed a test subject for Project Phoenix, which was designed to create soldiers with extraordinary abilities. We already have large, strong soldiers at the ready, so for this project, we wanted someone small- someone that could go unnoticed in a crowd or fit into tight spaces during a mission- which is why we chose a child. One of our members said that he knew the perfect candidate: you.

     "Forgive me for not telling you his name. Important as it may be to you to know which person in your life caused you to be a part of this, we have a code of secrecy.

     "I suppose you're most curious about your friend. I assure you, she does not want to be doing this. I sent some of my colleagues to find Miss Rhodes when we found out where S.H.I.E.L.D. put you. Her uncle is a close friend of Tony Stark, so I assumed she would have no trouble finding you. She refused at first, but one tends to follow orders when their family is threatened. This was just before Christmas.

     "After she met you at that party on Christmas Eve, she was instructed to get close to you. She did very well... up until she started to care about you. After that, I knew that she wouldn't last undercover much longer, so I decided that it was time to carry out my plan.

     "Under my instruction, she wrote the note and brought it and her bracelet to your house. You came to rescue her as planned, and that brings us to now.

     "So, now that you have your explanation, I trust you'll follow my orders. Sit down."

     Delilah had betrayed her trust. She was an agent, working against her the whole time. Nothing between them was real. Not even the kiss. And this man, Volkov, had caused her to do it.

     Maddi could stop him. His guard was down. The gun was lowered. She had the perfect opportunity. She wouldn't kill him, but she would maim him enough that he wouldn't hurt anyone ever again.

     What happened next lasted only three seconds. As quickly as she could, she caught fire to her hands and shot it forward about a foot to where Volkov stood. He ducked down and yelled "Shoot!" and then Maddi heard a bang and felt a tug in her left shoulder that pulled her to the ground. She could just barely hear the crack of her bone through the ringing in her ears and the sound of her head hitting concrete.

     As the initial adrenaline rush faded, her entire left side erupted in pain. Volkov pulled her up by her left wrist, and a whole new wave of pain shot through her. She heard a scream, but she wasn't sure if it was her own or if it had come from somewhere else. Volkov threw her into the chair and forced a leather strap into her mouth. He pushed a button and restraints locked around Maddi's arms, sending another surge of pain through her. Two robotic arms extended down and clamped around her head.

     A surge of electricity went through her. It sparked through her head, arms, legs. Mostly her head. Her mind began to shut down.

     Then the electricity stopped. She heard someone say her name, but it sounded far away and muffled. She felt someone tie something around her shoulder before two metal arms picked her up from the chair, and then she felt wind on her face. She opened her eyes and saw who carried her.

     "Tony," she said weakly. Her voice sounded hoarse.

     "It's okay. You're going to be okay." Tony sounded more like he was trying to convince himself than convince Maddi.

     Tony flew into a quinjet, where a makeshift infirmary had already been set up. Tony laid her on the gurney.

     Tony gave a brief description of her injuries, and the doctors got to work, but Maddi wasn't even concerned about her own injuries, no matter how bad they hurt. No, she thought about Delilah, and could only hope that she had gotten out, too.


	21. Tony's Side

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just saw Spiderman: Homecoming so I got to see a little bit of what Tony is like in a parental type role, so hopefully that can help me improve how I write him!

     Tony sipped his coffee. It was way too early to be awake in his opinion. "Jarvis," Tony said, "wake Maddi up."

     "Sir, Miss Gartin is not in her room,"  Jarvis replied.

     "What? What do you mean she's not in her room?"

     "I am not registering any human heat signatures in her room. The only people in the house are Miss Potts and yourself."

     Tony set his coffee on the counter. "Did she take TILS outside?"

     "No,sir," JARVIS replied.

     "Dammit." Tony hurried up the stairs to Maddi's room. He knocked on her door. "Maddi? You in there?"

     No reply. He opened the door and looked into the room. Her window was open. He rushed over to it and looked down. He had no idea how she had managed to get down the side of the house (or why, for that matter), but she was a resourceful kid. She'd figured something out.

     He looked over at her bedside table. There was a piece of paper on it. She left a note.

      _Delilah is being held at Podzemka. I need to go alone. I'm so sorry. Thanks for everything._

     But S.H.I.E.L.D. raided the place when they sent in the rescue team for Maddi. How could it possibly still be running?

     Unless someone got away and set it up in a new location. That meant that someone would have had to give that location to Maddi. He searched for something that would tell an address. He found another note on the floor, this one in a different handwriting than Maddi's.

      _Podzemka. Skala Park, Balakhna, Russia. The entrance is near the bridge. Don't bring anyone. Come get your girlfriend._

     "Shit!" Tony shouted. He ran out the door and down toward the basement.

     "Tony?" Pepper said from the living room, stopping Tony in his tracks. "What's wrong?"

     "Pepper, I need you to get Agent Coulson on the phone now. Tell him Maddi is in danger."

     "What-?"

     "I don't have time to explain. Read these. I need to get my suit." He handed her the notes and ran to the basement.

* * *

      Too slow. The damn quinjet was too slow. Those monsters could've been torturing Maddi right then, and he was stuck on a glorified airplane, unable to do a damn thing about it. He paced back and forth, fidgeting with pieces of his suit.

     Sure, he was grateful that S.H.I.E.L.D. was willing to send a quinjet, but he wished it could be _faster_. The fact that they'd also sent doctors with medical equipment and a gurney didn't help his anxiety.

     Finally, the pilot said, "Mr. Stark, I think we found the place."

     "Are you sure?" He hurried to the front so he could look out the windshield. The quinjet flew above a snow covered park, empty except for a couple of people walking on a path in the distance.

     "Look at the cliff," said the pilot. Tony looked in the direction that she pointed, and noticed something... off. A piece of the rock sat perpendicular to the rest of the cliff. It swayed in the wind, like it was on hinges.

     "It's a door," Tony said.

     "Uh-huh. I'm fairly sure this is it," the pilot replied.

     "Cut the sarcasm and focus on the mission," Tony said. He briefly thought about how people usually said that exact thing to _him_.

     "Sorry, Mr. Stark."

     The pilot landed the quinjet at the top of the cliff, and S.H.I.E.L.D. agents climbed down to the ledge where the door still hung open. Tony flew past them, into the open hole in the face of the cliff. Inside, he found a horrific scene.

     The first thing he saw was the blood splattering the concrete ground. Then a girl who sat on the stairs, crying. Then a man, barking orders at the girl and pressing buttons on a computer attached to a chair. Maddi was strapped to the chair, some kind of contraption clamped around her head.

     Then he saw the blood on her shoulder, and the next thing he knew, the man was on the ground, groaning in pain. He turned to the controls and found the off button. Thankfully, it worked, and the clamp released from Maddi's head. She stopped screaming, but her breathing was heavy. He rushed to her side.

     "Maddi," he said, his voice shaking with distress and guilt. She didn't respond. The blood was spreading fast. He pulled himself together. He ripped the sleeve off of the suit jacket that the semiconscious man on the ground wore and tied it around Maddi's shoulder. He picked her up as gently and quickly as possible.

     When he turned to leave, he saw that the girl on the stairs now stared at him, and he stopped when he recognized who she was. For a second, he was relieved to see that she was there too. Then he noticed the gun in her hand, and realized that she wasn't crying out of fear, but out of guilt. Time seemed to stand still as Tony put two and two together.

     But he couldn't think about that now. He needed to get Maddi to the quinjet. He turned on his thrusters and flew toward the door.

     As he sped toward the quinjet, he heard Maddi say, "Tony."

     "It's okay. You're going to be okay," Tony said, trying to keep his voice steady.

     He flew into the quinjet and laid Maddi on the gurney. He described her injuries to the doctors, then sat in a seat out of the way, but still close enough that he could keep an eye on her.

     As Tony watched the doctors try to keep Maddi stable until they could get to the hospital, he made a promise to himself: if- no, _when_ \- Maddi survived this, he would keep her safe at all costs.


	22. Closure

     Maddi hated hospitals. The antiseptic smell made her feel sick, needles made her nervous, and the beds were uncomfortable. She’d been in the hospital for extended stays several times as a kid, and it wasn’t so bad at the time; she had just been glad to get a bunch of gifts and attention, and not going to school didn’t hurt either. As she got older though, any kind of medical stuff started to freak her out. Doctors offices, dentists, eye appointments for her glasses- all of it made her uncomfortable. Hospitals were the worst, though.

     The good news: her advanced healing meant that she only had to stay a few days. The bad news: they had to squeeze all of her rehab into those few days, which meant that she was constantly doing repetitive arm movements. She knew it was part of her treatment, but it really started to hurt her arm after a while.

     The doctors said that the bullet had hit the artery in her shoulder, and she was lucky that Tony got there in time. Because of him, she was alive and would make a full recovery.

     As for Delilah, all Tony would tell Maddi was that she had been taken into S.H.I.E.L.D for questioning. Maddi asked nearly every hour whether Tony knew what would happen to her, but he just told her to just focus on recovering. By the time she was released, she was getting pretty frustrated.

     A few days after being discharged from the hospital, Tony finally explained the situation. Delilah would be placed in the witness protection program. Maddi wouldn't be allowed to have contact with her once they placed her, but Tony had arranged a meeting for later that afternoon so that they could have some closure.

     "And one more thing," Tony said, "I don't think S.H.I.E.L.D. should train you anymore."

     Maddi's eyes widened. "What?"

     "You learned how to fight, and you thought you could handle what was going on out there, and you did something reckless that almost got you killed."

     "No, please, I'll do whatever you want. I won't go into the field until I get clearance. I'll do whatever Clint tells me. Just please let me-"

     "No." Tony shook his head. "I never should have let you join S.H.I.E.L.D. in the first place. You got hurt, and that's on me."

     "Tony, please-"

     "I said no." Tony sounded more parental than Maddi had ever heard him. "You're done at S.H.I.E.L.D., and I'm done letting you do whatever you want. It's for your own good."

     Maddi opened her mouth to protest, but Tony said, "I don't want to hear any arguements. Just go to your room."

     Maddi shot him one last angry look before storming off.

* * *

 

     Maddi sat in the back seat of the car and stared out the window. She tried to piece together a conversation in her head.

     “Thought about what you’re going to say to her?” Tony asked.

     Maddi turned to face him. “Yeah. I have.”

     “And?”

     “I don’t know.”

     Tony pulled up to the building and parked the car. He and Maddi went inside, where a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent greeted them and told Maddi to follow her while Tony sat in a chair to wait.

     “You’re not coming?” Maddi asked him.

     He shook his head. “No. You need to do this on your own. Just... tell her I don’t blame her.”

     Maddi nodded and followed the agent, who opened a door about halfway down the hallway and gestured for Maddi to go in.


End file.
